How it's Changed
by Miss M. HeronChild
Summary: Clary is a pretty quiet highchool girl and she hates the school's jerk. Jace is a popular quarterback with all the girls at his feet and he hates his best-friend's sister. What happens when they have to work together in English class? Will they become friends, or will they destroy each other and everything around them? rated M for language and future serious Clace
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

CPOV

I'm Clary Fray. I have a totally normal life, with totally normal parents and totally normal friends. I go to St. Xavier high and I've just started my junior year. I'm your typical geeky nerd who nobody knows: posters around my room with Merlin ad Star Wars and such as. The only not typical thing about me are well… my looks. I'm about 5 feet tall, which means I'm actually a midget for a 16 years teenage. I have very curly very wild very annoying and very RED hair. I barely have ANY curves… flat-chested, nearly not needing a bra, hips not visible and a small bum. Pale porcelain like skin with freckles everywhere. Yeah… not the best of looks. The only thing that seem to redeem my appearance are my emerald-green eyes and even those seem too big for my tiny face. I wasn't anything special and there is nothing too interesting to know about me. But if there's something you should know is that…

I hate Jace Herondale's guts.

Yup. Heard me right. I hate THE Jace Herondale. The jock in our school every girl drooled after. Biggest player on this planet. I hated that he calls me names and laughs about me with his friends and how he thinks he's all-so-mighty because he screwed the majority of thins highschool's female population. He thinks he's superior and he gets away with anything with his charms. Our teachers would let him get away with murder because of that charming smile and good looks. And I hated that.

JCPOV

I'm Jace Herondale. My life is pretty mundane. Junior year in Xavier high. I'm quite THE guy in my high school. Quarterback in our soccer team, no other guy even looks at me in a funny way, the teachers let me slip with anything and all the girls love me. And then there's Clary Fray.

I hate Clary Fray as hell.

She acted so innocent with that big green eyes frail body and shy personality. She tricked everyone. Everyone except of me. She was so kind with everyone but nooo, she hated me. I don't even know what I did to the girl. Every time she looked at me she sent me daggers and dirty looks and I could practically see the gears behind her eyes closing like I was some sort of an animal. She had no right to do that, no right at all to judge me. She on the other hand was a goody-two-shoes, teachers' perfect student, but I knew her true self not the kind self-conscious shy girl. She's stubborn and feisty and even if she's 5 feet she somehow manages to stare down a 6'2" feet guy like myself. She thinks she's so superior to ME. It's not like she's a pain in the ass for everyone, just me. And I hated that.

.o.O.o.

CPOV

Ok. So just to get things settle, I love sleeping just as much as I love drawing. Ok, maybe I love drawing a little more but still. I was sleeping a deep perfect sleep like I hadn't had in whole weeks.

 _I am on a grass field. The grass is a green so fresh, a green just like my eyes. There's nothing around, just grass and some bright yellow flowers here and there and one big thick tree in the middle of my beautiful landscape. I approached the tree and the closer I get I see a glow surrounding the tree, like a gold sparkly halo. It gets brighter the closer I get and I realize that the glow is coming from somewhere inside the tree. Now I am only a few feet away from the glowing tree. Suddenly the whole grass field disappears and it's only the tree and darkness. And now I see…_

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Ughhhhh! That's my clock but why on he- shit. It's Monday and it's the first day of school. I freaking totally forgot. I am gonna be late on my first day of school. Looks like someone up there really hates me.

I jump out of my bed and make a run for the bathroom. What I see in my mirror is so not worthy for the first day of school… I have a red frizz of a hair that can easily be taken for a rat-nest and I look like a zombie. And then my brother's voice wrecks me out of my daze. I turn around and I see Jon standing there and smirking looking too perfect for a Monday first day of school. Not fair. My brother Jon is a junior just like me but let's say that people don't usually associate us and I'm not blame them. I look like my mother but Jon, he's a copy of my dad. Job is tall, about 6 feet, broad shoulders and strong big arms. He has high cheekbones to kill for and dark brown eyes that are so dark you could say they are black. He got the white-blond Swiss hair my dad loves. He says that hair color runs through our veins and he was a bit disappointed when I was born with my mum's auburn hair.

Remember when I told you that Jace is a manwhore? Well, Jace is Jon's best friend, so since Jon is my brother I have to see Jace pretty much every day.

I'm unplugged from my head and thoughts by Jon shaking me. "come on Clary…" he whines "we're gonna be late on the first day of school. I don't know about you but I have to uphold a reputation and it's not like I'm never late but I have to there on the fist day so I can visit with my friends" I give him a disapproving look and narrow my eyes at him "I am sorry Jon, that not everyone can wake up looking good enough to get out of house without doing much, but there are the rest of us that actually need a brush you know. And in case you haven't noticed, my hair looks like a rat-nest. Now, this is going to take me 5 minutes. go to the car" I tell him in the most sarcastic voice I can pull of this early in the morning.

I decide that my hair can screw itself because I'm not in the mood right now. I pull out of my dresser a black band t-shirt, ripped boyfriend jeans, my beloved green hoodie I have since middle school but it's not like I've grown very much since then and my Chuck Taylors. I look in the mirror and apply a thin layer of transparent lipstick. "let's hope it's good enough" I murmur facing the mirror and see a more decent version of myself. It's already been 6 minutes since Jon left and I'm pretty sure he'll behead me if I'll be later.

I run down the stairs and pray I won't fall, kiss my mum goodbye and grab a apple to eat on my way. "goodbye mum", "bye honey, happy first day" she yells over her shoulder from the sink. I rush toward the front door and then Jon's car and what I see makes me stop dead in my tracks. I should've expected this, it happens every year but it still makes me scowl like I always do when faced with THIS:

That smirk and face, mouth ready to make fun of me. Near my brother, relaxed as always like nothing's wrong stays Jace Herondale.

And he's heading towards me.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

CPOV

I find myself instantly scowling at the sight in front of me though I have to suppress a stare. I mean… Jace has to have some looks to become the womanizer he is. Golden hair just a little bit curly and too long, golden eyes that light up in the sun, strong definite jaw, broad shoulders and strong arms and not to say that he is about 6'6" feet tall. He's handsome and good looking, I might just admit that he is pretty hot, I'll give him that. But all that fades away the moment he opens his mouth.

"Hey Shortstuff. Didn't see you when you came out. Strange, I was looking straight at the door. I guess next time I'll bring my little brother Max. I'm sure he'll see you." He of course taunts me.

"Shut it Herondale. I'm not in the mood for you and your lame childish jokes!" I snap at him. If anyone would watch from the outside, they'd think I'm a crazed bitch. All they see is a boy taunting a girl but ohh they have no idea what an ass Jace Herondale is.

"what do you mean that you're not in the mood? I thought you were just being your antisocial self. I apologize. One may think I should know my best friend's baby sister a little bit better right?"

I was already fuming. I bet my brother and his stupid Jace could see smoke radiating off of me and my hands treble. That's it! It's too early in the morning for me to handle this and even if we were in the middle of the day it would still be too early for me to try to not scream at Herondale. Keyword: TRY. "Listen up you idiot!" and just like that I start yelling the daylights out of him. I think I might just look like lunatic but I could care less. I stomp off towards him and thrust my index in his chest so hard I think it will bruise later. Again, could care less. And when I finish what does he do? Smirk

"that was pretty hot for a midget, Longstokings." I angrily gape at him but then he starts going to the car and holds the door open in a mock gentleman-like way. "now hop on lit-" but he's interrupted by me, of course. "WHAT!? Jon, leave! Now." I tell my brother though I look directly at Jace. "What? I waited for you to finish up and stop fighting with Jace for like half an hour so you could tell me to leave!?"

"Should've tough of that before bringing the Herondale here!"

I turn on my heels but I have no idea why. I guess I just turn around and turn my back at them, for all I do is too get the cellphone out of my bag and start blindly type the all too familiar phone number of my best-friend. He picks up at the second ring and I put him of speaker because I'm too stiff to hold it at my ear. "Cmmon Fray! We have like half an hour left until school and I don't remember you being all too excited for ever getting to school in time. What happened?" I guess the guys can hear us since I haven't heard any car leaving but I could very well be wrong. I mean, I don't think I'd hear my mum yelling at us for food-fighting right now. I just say the only thing that I know would be the fastest and would explain everything.

"Herondale" I manage through gritted teeth. The other line goes silent for a moment and then

"Shit! Be there in a moment Clary. Just don't do anything you'll regret later" and he hangs up. I smirk at the bit of recognition I got from my best-Friend.

I hear some doors close and I turn just in time to get to glare one last time at Jace before he gets in the car. Right after they left, my ride to school appears with his mum's pick-up truck. "Simon!" I greet him and throw myself at him. If he didn't have his car wall at his back, I'm pretty sure he'd me on the floor with a huge pain in the back right now. I embrace him in a huge bear-hug. " Air-. I need-. Suffocating-." He mock chokes out and I forget why I was mad. I release him and he gets out a more normal greeting. "Hey there Clare-Bear. I missed you. Long time no see. How you've been?" I roll my eyes at him. "it's been a weekend since we last saw each other. Not to mention it was holiday"

"Whatever, Fray. Anyway, killed golden-boy already?" oh. So that's why I was mad. I scoff and close the door after I get in the van.

"He survived. Lucky for him, he was being the NORMAL pain in the ass, so just as usual. Now let's go to that damned school already and get everything over with, Simon" I reply nonchalantly, as I turn the volume up and we take off with the rock blaring.

In no more than 10 minutes we are parking in front of our high. It's first day of school, so normally the parking-lot would be full, but we arrived 10 minutes earlier thanks to the fit I threw outside my house when I called Simon to pick me up. It didn't take long until students begin to arrive and the talking and whispering and laughing and hugging and just every bit of human interaction one could get started. Me and Simon aren't great fans of all this ,so we instead choose to go somewhere far from the crowd, to my tree to be more specific.

"-also, the new Star Wars version is- Clary. Clary!" I stir when moves his hand in front of me, a little debalanced. I was just thinking why was Jace such an ass to me. I can't remember doing anything that would affect an influential person in our high-school, such as the Herondale.

"did you hear anything I said, or were you stuck in your head, daydreaming again?" I look up at him with an apologetic expression when the director's voice rings through the speakers and sparing me from giving Si and explanation. Director Branwell gives his annual boring speech nobody listens to about hoping we improve our grades and behavior and things like that. He goes on and on about our duty as students and I can just rip my ears off from boredom. After a long waste of time, the bell rings signalizing the beginning of the first class.

I make my way through the sea of people to my first class: advanced English. And just like that, off we go…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Clary's P.O.V.

This is one of the parts I hate most about going to school. Getting to class. It's not because our school is too big, because it's really not, but because I'm so small no one actually sees me. I get pushed around and my books always end up on the floor. It's so annoying! I suppose they all think I'm oh-so-magnificent-and-popular Jon's little sister who came to visit him in highschool. If it wasn't for Si I'd be lying on the floor and walked on. Thanks to him, my fate became my books', but since I'm so "lucky", no one can say tomorrow won't be worse.

Close to my locker, Simon and I part ways since his locker is further away. Luckily, I make it there and I am met with my other best friend's figure - Maia.

Maia is beautiful. Well, comparing to me, that isn't really difficult, but she's truly beautiful, though in kind of a tomboyish way. She has brown wavy hair, almond-shaped hazel eyes and honey toned skin. She's not very tall, only 5'6", but she has curves in all the right places. I bet she's not aware of how beautiful she is, cause she keeps wearing normal jeans and comic tees, just like Si. That still doesn't stop lots of boys from turning their heads and checking her out. Her hair flows around her face when she's runn-

"Oh my god Clary! I haven't see you in forever. I was out of country the entire holiday but how did you spend yours? No! let me guess! You stayed at home and duped up yourself with food, you painted and drew and you had Si come over and basically live with you and all the antisocial things you usually in in your free time. I pity you! You should definitely get out of that head of yours and meet a guy. Speaking of which, remember Jordan? It looks like he also liked me and now we're finally together and…" After that I zone out, realizing that I'm about to hear the school gossip even if school didn't start. You may have realized that Maia is a people person, but not really. I mean, from afar she may seem really shy and quiet but you just need to get to know her and she never stops talking. She still is a good best friend, she knows when to listen and she has great advice and she is good at revenging me after Simon beats me yet again at D&D. And like all my friends (to be honest, all my friends are "best friends") she's a geeky one.

"- right, Clary?"

"Yeah, totally"

"I can't believe you actually agreed to that", she giggles.

"Why not? Seems legit to me...". Guess playing it cool is the only way.

"You did that again, didn't you?"

"Did what?"

"Disappear in your head in ClaryWorld

" "Did not!"

"Clary, I just said that Mr. Wayland's son's ass is to die for."

…Oh. OH. Looks like playing it cool didn't work out how I expected… Aaaand she's grinning and I know I'm in trouble.

"No. whatever you're thinking right now, the answer is NO. I am not going to agree to anything that passed your mind and gave you The Grin."

"Sure you will. Remember that time when you decided you wanted an icecream but its was the middle of winter and we were at school so-"

"Ok. Fine. I'll do it, just shut up, someone may hear you and it's not like people need things to add on FreakClary list. And for the record, Miss Branwell's face was totally worth it" And just like that, as we enter our first class and one we gave together - Advanced English - we start laughing. It looks like we chose the wrong time to look like crazed girls. We are met with a dead quiet classroom and the stares of a whole class. That's not exactly new to us and I guess it's not new to them either, but what whips off my mood entirely are a pair of malicious golden eyes and an annoyingly perfect smirk.

I close my eyes and groan, realizing that I'll be the subject of endless teasing later because my outstanding entrance by no other than Jace. What is he even doing here? I haven't realized that he can speak proper English without insulting but here he is, right in front of me in Advanced English. No longer able to keep myself from slapping my forehead, I murmur an apology for being late and I take Maia's hand and hurry in the back where the last spare seats are.

Lucky for us, Mr. Greymark just throws us a glare and returns with and exasperated huff behind his desk.

"Good morning class. Most of you already know me but for those who don't, I'm Mr. Greymark and-"

"Hello Mr. Graymark" says someone in front of the class with the typical rehab voice, causing surprised and amused laughs.

"If you wouldn't mind, shut up Herondale." And just like that, I think I'll really get on well with this Greymark person. "I'll be you teacher for the rest of the year. I already decided who you'll be sitting and who you'll do all of your projects with for the rest of the year. Aeline Penhallow with Helen Blackthorn..., Julian Blackthorn with Emma Carstairs..., Kaelie Whitewillow with Maia Roberts..."

Maia gives me an apologetic look and gets up, but then her expression is replaced with a scowl when she realizes she's paired up with the school's bitch. Poor Maia. This class should end fast because all we usually do on first lessons is set up things like who sits with who and so on. I can't wait for it to end so I can talk with Maia and Simon about this week's Star Wars marathon. I continue thinking about what food we'll get when I get startled by hearing my name.

"Clary Fray with… Jace Herondale"

A mix of "Sorry Sir but there has to be a misunderstanding" and "Oh hell no, I'm not sitting with her!" clashes through the air.

"No, I'm pretty sure that's what I decided and that's written on my paper. Now, if you wouldn't mind Clary, come to the front please." I stiffly pack my stuff, throw my bag over my shoulder go in the front, glaring at Jace all the way there. He's glaring right back. I drop in the seat next to him and sit as far from his as possible.

He's still glaring at me. "Guess we'll work together this year, Red. That being said, can't wait for senior year."

"This is the only time I'll ever agree with you Herondale, but can't wait for it either."

"Then let the fun begin, Midget."

"Bring it on, Goldie."

I don't know what he meant by that, and I don't think he knows either, but I got a feeling that this year is gonna be a really long one.

...Fuck

 _ **AUTHORS NOTE:**_

 _ **Hey guys.**_

 _ **1) I dunno how to tell you this but THANK YOU very much for you reviews, this being mt first fic i'm happ that someone is actually reading my work. thank you for the suggestions and positive words**_

 _ **2) i think i set up kind of a date for when i'll be updating from now on. i guess Wednesday is a good day as any (the day after ABC Family- Shadowhunters.), sorry if i'll be late with the updates, i'll try to be on time but sometimes i'm just too exausted to bring myslef do anything but read. tho i don't think i'll be late, better safe than sorry, right?**_

 ** _End Of Transmition_**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Clary's P.O.V.

"This is how you'll be sitting for the rest of the year. Now I'm going to let you know that the first part of this semester, if not the whole semester, we'll study Romantic literature. For starters, I need to know just about what you think Romantic literature is, so I'll have you write a love story. You'll work in pairs and it's due Friday. For the rest of the class you can start panning and I want at least 10 pages.

"Now not only I have to sit with this dickhead for the rest of the year but I have to write a romantic story with the help of a womanizer who wouldn't know love if it slapped him over the face. Lovely.

"So…" said Jace through gritted teeth. Looks like he didn't want this anymore than I did. Good. "Looks like you have 4 days to make it work, Spitfire." And then he turned to talk to one of his football buddies. What?! Who the Hell did he think he is?!

"Herondale. Listen here and listen good. I don't give a damn about who you think you are. There's no way I'm doing this by myself so you either get your ass to work or pay your friend, the headmaster, a visit. You haven't seen him in 3 blissful months anyways." I don't know what I looked like but I suppose it was something scary because Jace and his friends looked at me like I was some kinf of animal just escaped from the Zoo. It was only then I realized that I was standing face-to-face with him, so close that it would only take one move and our noses would brush.

I think he figured out that it wouldn't be smart of him to argue with me on this one so he just nodded, took a pencil and a notebook and looked at me expectantly. Suddenly I just relaxed sat down and actually smiled at him, part because he swallowed his pride and shut up and partly because I kinda got uncomfortable with all the stares I was receiving.

He started speaking and to my surprise, it wasn't hateful, it was just annoying. Well, that's a new one.

"It's obvious that we won't get to finish this till Friday with only what we get to do at school. So we should have 2 pages per day and what we can write during school and that will suffice."

I would rather do it by myself than spend any extra moment with him. He seemed to read my thought because he grinned at me, thinking I'd give up just so I wouldn't have to bear spending time with him. Well, he better think twice, 'cause if I'm going down, he's coming right after.

"Fine. See you after school, Jackass."

After I took a moment to register his shocked face, the bell rang and I was out the door with the bag slung on my shoulder before he changed his mind and ditched me on the assignment. By the time I got to Simon and we made our way to the cafeteria, I was smirking like mad.

"Oh no. I know that face. Is the face you get every time you do something stupid but you're pleased of yourself", he sighed. "Who do I have to glare at this time?"

"The usual", I shrugged. It's not like I was trouble or anything… it's just that my temper matches my hair: fiery, so I get all worked up and start and argument easily enough. I just realized Simon must have a long To Glare At list…

As soon as I spotted Maia, I headed towards her through the sea of students. I slumped in my seat next to Maia and asked Si to get me a black coffee and something edible and handed him some money.

"Black coffee like you soul and some of the new doughnuts. Got it, Your Majesty. Anything else I may do for you?". There was so much sarcasm in his voice that I couldn't help but chuckle. What a geek.

"No, that will be all. You can go now". I feigned importance and nonchalantly waved my hand for him to go. He huffed and mock bowed but I could still see the smile on his face. I took out my sketchpad, thinking that I have yet to finish the drawing of some angel called Raziel, that Miss Wayland asked me to do as a banner for her theatre class. Then I remembered that I was stuck with Jace for the next 4 days and I wasn't feeling like drawing angels anymore.

"What's up with you, Fray?" Asked Maia, concern written all over her face. Maybe I didn't have many friends, but I was grateful that those I had were true and cared about me.

"Nothing. It's just that Mr. Graymark though it was a good idea to make up pairs and sitting charts for this year and I got the Herondale. Not only that but now I am stuck with him for the next 4 days for some stupid assignment. Can you believe that?!" Maia just looked amused, with a knowing look on her face and went back to eating something spaghetti looking, though I wasn't sure what that was. Suddenly I wasn't so hungry anymore. There is kind of an unspoken rule in the cafeteria: everyone sat at their tables. There was the hippie table (where worrisome powders were going round), the tech table (where all the genius kids that will probably get some Noble prizes for their complicated machines sat), the nerd table (where all the smart students with perfect grades and perfect records sat), the emo table, wannabe rock singers table, the friendless table (where all the students that no one want to sit with were), the popular table (where the jocks and cheerleaders and basically most of the asshats like Jace sat)… and there was our table. There were only 3 here: an art freak with her 2 geek best frineds, so it was kinda hard not to notice the disco-ball of a student heading towards us.

"Hey. I'm Magnus Bane and you must be Clary. I make this year's cheerleaders' costumes and I've hear you're very good with art. Someone told me to search for red and I thought it was vague until I saw you." He gave a chuckle that seemed more for himself. "Anyway, I am here because I wanted to ask for your artist's eye help."

He had green, cat-like eyes, and spiked glittery hair, black as coal. Magnus was wearing purple leather fitted trousers, a silver glittery tank with a blue "M" on it and an orange vest. His make-up consisted of flawlessly applied black eye-liner, glittery kohl and blue lipstick. Wow. Disco-Ball was just not covering it. He definitely wasn't ashamed of who he was. I decided I liked him.

"Hi Magnus. Yes, I am Clary, and I would most definitely love to help you with your costumes". He smiled at me. Yes, I'm positive I liked him.

"Great then. Can you give me your number so I can let you know where and when we could meet. I was thinking about today after school?"

I almost said yes, but then I remembered my English assignment with Jace. Still, we didn't put a date on the supposed meeting so technically, I didn't have anything to do today after school. Screw Jace.

"Perfect. Wanna sit here?" I asked him as I ripped the corner of a paper from my history notebook and wrote my number on it.

"Thanks biscuit, but I'll have to pass you on that one. Life's not waiting and I currently have a lot of that one. And some forgotten calculus homework but that's details. Next time maybe?"

"You bet on it, Bane." I smirked.

"See you around, Fray" he retorted.

"I like that Magnus guy." Said Simon while devouring his sandwich like a cave-man. I gave him a mock disgusted look.

"I like him too. Can we keep him? Pretty please Clary?" Maia whined and looked at me with puppy-eyes. I never resisted the puppy-eyes.

"He IS pretty cool", they nodded. "And he doesn't seem to hate us". And then there were 2 mutter replies of 'yet'. I chose to ignore that. "…So why not?"

The rest of the classes went by in a blur. We didn't do much, really. It was the first day, so there wasn't much homework either. Of course, I knew that that will be gone tomorrow and all the teachers will be in their walked-on-by-a-hippo-mode as I like to call it, and will swamp us with work. At some point, Magnus texted me the address and hour when we could meet.

Simon and I headed home and he usually comes over, but he was more than happy to 'finally get rid of me'. But I knew he had family coming over and was forced by his mother to stay at home. Geek, but i wouldn't have it any other way.

"I'm home!" I yelled as I got in. I saw Luke, my step-dad, and Jon sitting of the sofa and eating chips, watching football. That made me smile. Maybe Luke wasn't my biological father, but he was my dad in all the ways that mattered. He has been around since I was two and he and my mum got married only 2 years ago, but it wasn't much of a change for I've always seen Luke as my father anyway. I dashed up the stairs, into the studio, where I knew I'd find my Jocelyn painting. She was such an amazing artist. Better than I could ever be.

"Hey mum. There's a guy making the cheerleaders costumes this year and he said that someone recommended me to help him because I was a good artist. I was hoping that you'd let me meet up with him today and sleepover?" Her smile fell.

"Clarissa, I am not letting you sleep-"

"He's gay, mom", I sighed.

"…well, okay then. You can sleepover but make sure to get your school stuff too. For tomorrow." Oh. Right. We have school tomorrow. Guess I forgot.

"Thanks, love you mom!"

"Love you too sweetheart. I'm so proud of you that people know about your skills and want you to help them. See you tomorrow after school!"

After that, I ran to my room to pack. Well, saying that my room 'is a mess' is putting it lightly. I guess 'looks like a hurricane just passed by, right after a herd of buffalos left' does it more justice. After ten minutes of searching for clothes and things that I might need for a sleepover, like books and my sketchpad, I was out the door and heading for the address Magnus gave me.

It wasn't too far away and I knew the area so it didn't take me more than 10 minutes to get there, though when I reached the address I had to double check. I don't know what I was expecting but it definitely wasn't this. A huge Victorian style mansion was in front of me, with a tall fence and a gigantic garden. I slowly got to the doorstep and reached to knock. I highly doubted I got the right address but there was only one way to see. I knocked.

After a few seconds, the door opened and I think you can imagine how surprised I was to see Jace Herondale, with some workout shorts hanging low on his waist and a very sweaty, very naked, very chiseled chest.

"Clary!?"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Jace's P.O.V.

Well that was surprising. When I woke up this morning I firstly didn't think that I would have to put up with Clary for the rest of the year and I was joking when I told her that we'd have to see each other after class to finish the assignment. I certainly expect her to agree and yet here she was. Guess she doesn't have me that much and she finally admitted defeat giving in to my charms.

I put on my signature smirk and looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to ramble like they always do.

"Jace?! What the hell are you doing here? And where is Magnus?"

Too good to be true I guess… looks like I'll have to wait a little bit more but she WILL fall for me like they always do. But for now…

"I know I am gorgeous, but you can stop staring at my perfect chest now". She blushed and averted her eyes but not before she sent an if-looks-could-kill glare at me. "Who the hell is Magnus? You come to my house and ask for another man while standing in my doorstep. Jace Herondale's doorstep. You wound me Firecracker." Of course, all she did was roll her eyes and I barely got to see that before I was shoved away from the door and into the living room.

"Clary darling! I started thinking that you'd never come after all. Izzy and I started worrying that you ditched on us and we'd have to find another artist. But that's not the case with you, biscuit. Anyway, what took you so long" and just like that a disco man who I though was Magnus pulled Clary into the living room. To say she was awkward it's an understatement. Just when I thought she'll finally say something, my tornado of a sister appeared.

"You are Clary, right? I'm Isabelle but you can call me Izzy or Iz. So nice to meet you Clary. Maggie told me a lot about you. I can't wait to start and since I'm more than excited, lets start right now. Soo I got a few thing I'd like you to look at. To much, not enough, too sparkly…" she directed a glare at Magnus but I don't think I could blame her "…too plain. And other things that I suppose you know better than I do. Now, let us start". I watched Izzy drag Clary up the stairs and into her room and slammed the door shut.

So… the only girl that hates me showed up at my house asking for some strange guy. Then, a disco-ball that was apparently in my house came and started rambling and hugging Clary, just before my sister who was supposed to be on a date dragged her into her room. Again, why do I even bother?

Clary's P.O.V.

That was fast. And strange. And fast. I guess I'll be seeing a lot of Jace fucking Herondale since he apparently lives where Magnus, Izzy and I will be working. And next I hope he wouldn't mind wearing a t-shit to cover up his "gorgeous" self.

If I know even a bit about the social scale in our school, then the girl that just dragged me in her room is Isabelle Lightwood, the head cheerleader and this is the Lightwood house. Well, more like the Lightwood manor. If you say "cheerleader", you may think about some beautiful girl with a perfect body… and you're right.

Isabelle Lightwood is your dark beauty. She has pin-straight black hair that reaches her mid back and coal black eyes. She is about 5'8" tall with long legs and milky skin. She doesn't seem the bitchy type, but what she does seem is the type of girl that gets what she wants and you might as well wet your pants if you stand between her and her goal. And also Simon's crush, but who could blame him. Beautiful, tall, confident, smart… She. Is. Perfect.

I was too focused on taking in Iz's looks - I blame it on the artist in me- to notice that Magnus and Izzy were staring at me. I get a feeling that I'm meant to give a reply to something and I just give them a confused look that I happen to use too much lately.

"As I was saying… do you like Jace?"

If didn't start laughing so hard, I would've appreciated Izzy's forwardness but that's not the case. I cant believe this! After a while I calmed down a little and realIzed that the pair of them were looking at me like they wre concerned. My breathing finally came back to normal and I was able to look at them without starting laughing again, so I wouldn't look like I was completely crazy.

"If by 'like' you mean that I want to choke him in his sleep and chop his head off every time I see the prick then... yes Izzy, I absolutely adore Jace!"

I don't know why I thought it was a good idea to tell her that I wanted to kill her brother or any reason why that would make a good first impression, so I was pretty surprised when she beamed at me and embraced me in a suffocating hug. I gave Magnus a confused look and he just smiled at Iz when she let me go.

"Told you shes different". Then both their gazes turned on me and I was suddenly nervous .

"Oh Clary. Where have you been. I've been waiting for a girl that didn't kiss the ground jace set foot on for years. You officially became my girl best friend."

"Um… thanks I guess, but don't bring your hopes up 'cause I don't think you'll find many more like this". At least now I can ploy with someone other than Maia that wont look at me like I'm crazy.

Izzys smile fell and a determined look took over just as she turned around, facing a desk that was over-flowing with all kinds of materials and glitter and colors that I didn't even know the name of.

"OK, that's a lot of material, but you sure its enough for a whole cheerleaders squad?"

"Oh, believe me biscuit, you don't need very much for 14 cheerleaders uniforms. You can ask Iz right here"

I don't know why, but something from the mischievous glint in her eyes told me Magnus was right.

"So Clary, since youre the artist here, I tought that Magnus can think of designs, describe them to you so you can draw them and when we all settle on 3 designs Mags can try them on me and then we decide which is the best, ok?"

"Fine by me. And wait, I'll help you decide which outfits are the best?"

"Well of course. You're the artist and you drew them so why not."

"Ok ladies, let's get started. So Clary, I ws thinking about a heart neckline and…"

The hours ticked by with Magnus and Isabelle arguing, me drawing, explaining, glaring and whatnot. At some point Izzy's phone rang and a Meliorn guy demanded why Izzy didn't come to their date and she just flipped him off and told him to never call her again. I guess they wasn't very serious about the relationship because she didn't look affected at all from the fact that she just broke up. At the end, we had 27 designs and the clock showed 4:27

"One would think that thinking and drawing some mini dresses would take less than 4 hours…"

"Come on Magnus, if you weren't so indecisive Clary wouldn't have had to erase this much, and if you understood that you just can't pair up orange with pink or that you can't glitter everything up, we wouldn't have fought that much."

"Hey guys. I dunno you but I could drink the pacific right now so im going downstrairs to get some water."

"Yeah sure"

"You go ahead ladies, im gonna look a bit at these magnificent designs. Thank you biscuit, for helping us."

"Don't sweat it. It was fun and I enjoyed hanging out with you."

"Yeah, thanks Clare. We have some drinks in the kitchen, let's go."

We headed to the kitchen when I realIzed that I forgot to call Simon and tell him how was working with Mags and I can't wait to tell him about Jace and Izzy and the house. I grabbed my phone out of my back pocked and dialed the phone number that I knew by heart.

"Hey there Lewis. Called to check in and tell you im not dead."

"Hi Fray, but my main concern wasn't about you being dead."

"Hey! Im not that bad. Now shut up and let me do the talking. So as you already know, today I had the costume thing with Magnus after school. I walked to the address he gave me. Its not far by the way. Only 10 minutes from mine or something. Anyways, when I got there I thought I got the wrong address cause right in front of me was this huge Victorian-style mansion and when I knock at the door guess what. The Herondale. Apparently he lives here and Magnus is friends with Izzy and Izzy is Herondale's sister and…"

"Wait up. Izzy as in Isabelle Lightwood?"

"Yup."

"Come on, Clary! You have to get me there. You know why…"

"You know, puppy eyes don't work over phone, so if youre trying, just stop."

"Oh, right. But please. Pretty please with a cherry on top? Please, please, please-"

"Oh, fine. Just shut it Lewis."

"Thanks. You're not so bad Fray."

 _"_ _Izzy! Can my best friend come over?"_

 _"_ _Sure thing Clary. I'll get my brother call some and maybe we're up to something. It's pretty early anyways."_

"Done, Si. Now hurry up and call meet my friends properly."

"Wow. Two new friends in the same day. You're starting to worry me Fray"

"Ha, ha. I'll get you later on that one. Now get your sorry ass here."

I hung up not waiting for his reply, because I know it would be something snarky. Normally, I'd take him up any time, but truth be told, when I said I could drink the Pacific I was very much serious. I entered the kitchen looking for Isabelle and I find Jace washing a green apple. At least he had a shirt on this time.

I decided to completely ignore him and find the glasses by myself. Mission complete. The glasses were on a shelf. A high shelf. Near the sink. Should've known it wouldn't be so easy after all. I stretched out to grab one, but my fingertips only brushed te side of the glass –damned be my height. Maybe if I stretch high enough-

"Need some help with that?" and a body pressed into my back and long callused fingers brushed mine as they the glass I was reaching for. "You just need to ask". Realising who the voice belonged to, I pushed back and away from the counter.

"Not from you, Goldie. I was doing just fine." I glared at him, although I was still a bit startled, just as someone entered the room.

"Hey biscuit, Izzy is- oh my, oh my, there's so much sexual tension in this room you could cut it with a butter knife."

"There is no-"

"There you were. Clary, Magnus, I want you to meet my other brother, Alec." Just as you probably imagined, Alec is the spitting picture of Isabelle, with blue eyes and just a tiny bit taller than Jace. He wore dark-blue jeans, a gray sweater and he gave me the impression he is nothing like Jace nor Izzy, and shyer.

"Hey Alec. Im Clary. Im so glad to meet you and that Izzy has at least one presentable brother". To my delight, he smiled.

"Hello indeed. I assume Alec is short from Alexander. Nice to meet you and I hope we'll see each other often. I'm Magnus and I'll be sticking around for the time being". Not only that, but Magnus also gave Alec a quick hug and stole him away. "So Alexander, tell me about you…" Poor Alec. He was already blushing crimson red.

The three of us exited the kitchen. Me and Izzy silently agreed to keep watching the pair and jace mumbled something about getting some drinks.

"Malec"

Me being a nerdy artist, I perfectly understood what she was talking about, though people like Maia would attempt to google and translate it from Chinese.

"Definitely" We grinned at each other and the bell rang.

"That must be Si. I'll take it"

I went to open the door and I was right. It was Simon, but it wasn't only him. Beside him were Maia and some muscled guy with a familiar face.

"Maia? What are you doing here and who's that? What is happening?"

"Clary! Im so glad to see you. You know, when Alec called Jorden to come I didn't know what to think of it, but on our way here we bumped into Simon who told us you called him and told him you wre at the Lightwoods and asked him to com, but then I was confused, because why would you be-"

"Maia. Stop. Who's Jordan?"

"He's Alec's friend and my boyfriend. I'll explain that later. Why are we here?" Ok. I am officially confused as fuck.

"Hi Jordan. Alec's in the living with Jace. And you must be Clary's best friend, Simon. Clary is my best and kinda only girl best friend, so I'll be aound. I'm isabelle, call me Izzy. Nice to meet you"

"I…y-yeah. I am Simon. N-nice to meet you. I-um-"

"Hey Si. You're finally here. Come on here already."

Call it pity, but poor Simon was stuttering like a 3 year old and not even I was evil enough to watch him talk to his only crush he had since freshman year and let him embarrass himself like that.

"Huh. Thanks Fray. Nice save there by the way. I owe you"

"Oh yes, you do. But not now. I started knowing Izzy and if it's one thing I learned, its that this is gonna be a long night, so i hope you told you mum you're staying over, because tere's no way you're leaving me here, alone with the wolves."

So there we were. Me, Si, Maia, Jordan, Magnus, Alec, Izzy and Jace that just came in with some strange looking bottles.

"Knowing Izzy, I'm not even gonna ask what's up with all this new people in my house right now."

"Oh, you don't like new people Jace? But what better way to get to know them than a good ol' game of 'Truth or Dare'?"

"No way. Im not playing that game with your nor Magnus, Izzy." To my surprise, it was Alec that talked and to my disdain, he sounded alarmed.

"Ok, then I guess we can all go cook some muffins."

"NO!" Why Alec, Magnus, Jordan and Jace would be so against muffins I don't know and I don't think I want to find out. Looks like Maia had other plans.

"What wrong with muffins. Who doesn't love muffins?"

"Maia…" Jordan started in an exasperated voice "it's not about the muffins, its about Izzy's muffins!"

"Come on guys! My cooking's not THAT bad!"

"Izzy, you messed up pasta…"

"They were out of term!"

"…you managed to poison Alec with a fruits salad. A goddamned fruits salad!…"

"I was experimenting new combinations"

"…you made my coffee taste like it was burned. Burned liquid coffee!" I think I had a horrified look on my face, because whatever Izzy wanted to reply stopped. And so did Jordan and everyone else and they were staring at me.

"Are you ok, Clary? You look sick". Luckily, Si intervened. I don't think I would've been able to talk anyways.

"She's ok. She just likes coffee. Loves it. A lot."

"Ok… but if im not cooking, we're playing 'Truth or Dare'."

"Finally. I started thinking that you've softened up, Iz"

"Oh, shut up Jace." Ok, now I was really scared.

"Why do I get the feeling that I will regret this?"

"You'll be getting a lot of feelings tonight, Spitfire. Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

"You're disgusting"

"And youre hot when youre mad…"

"Stop bickering like an old married couple and let's play already."

And just as Izzy finished that sentence, I realIzed I was glad I was sleeping over and didn't have to get out of the house until next morning, because I didn't think I would be able to walk out until then.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Clary's P.O.V.

"Ok guys. First things first. Rules. There is actually only one rule and that is no beatings" Izzy shot Jace a pointed look. For some reason, I believe it was necessary.

I sat down near Izzy and it happened that there was the farthest spot from the devil. I looked at my friends' and Jace's faces. Isabelle and Magnus were exchanging dangerously mischievous looks, Maia wa grinning like crazy and the rest of the boys looked scared out of their pants. That is, but Jace. He looked very smug. Too smug, if you ask me. Something was utterly wrong and I didn't know what and it seemed Simon just realized it himself, because he shot me 'I dunno what the hell is going on, but I want out of here' look. I feel you buddy.

After what felt like hours, but was in fact almost a minute, Iz straightened up and everyone turned their heads towards her. She looked so happy that she apparently won whatever Silent conversation she and Magnus had that I actually felt a small smile tug and my lips. She looked at all of us and then stopped at me and looked me dead in the eye.

"Clary."

Yu could actually hear the relieved Sighs of everyone else. It appears the I was chosen to be the first one dared -because let's be serious, I'd never choose truth- by no one else but Isabelle Sofia Lightwood. That full name combined with her grin sent shills down my spine. It's just a dare, duh. I just need to calm down. It's just a-

"Strip."

That got me and Si to our feet with our mouths agape and our brows furrowed in no more than a second. I must've heard wrong.

"Sit down, Rat boy." That earned Jace two murderous glares and made Izzy to look up.

"Come on, Simon. It's just a game." That earned me an apologetic look and made Simon sit down.

Traitor.

"Clary, it's tradition that one of us starts the game with a certain truth or a certain dare and this time, I chose you. The dare and the truth from the beginning are always the same". That explained everyone's tenseness and Jace's smugness. The guts on that jackass!

"Of course, you can keep your underwear on. Unless you have something else in mind…?"

Mortified at what she might be suggesting, I furiously shook my head and put my head in my hands in defeat.

"The pizza is already on its way."

"Pizza? I though the purpose of this was to embarrass me. I mean, I know I love food, but I don't think I'm that bad."

Magnus just chuckled at my confused expression.

"We don't need the pizza itself, sweetie. We need the deliver"

"That's right Mags. Clary, I dare you get the number of the delivery-boy in your underwear"

"And what if she doesn't accept?"

If Simon thinks he can make me forgive him that he abandoned me just because Izzy asked him to, by standing up for a lost cause, he is very wrong. I'll get back at him later, but now watching him struggle is the best I get.

"Then she'll stay in the underwear for the rest of the game."

 _No way_. She wouldn't.

"What do you choose, Clary?"

 _Ugh_. She would.

"Fine."

Even though I've never drank in my entire life, I took the bottle of beer that Jace was drinking from and downed the rest of it. It wasn't much left, but considering I've never drank before, it was enough. The liquid burned in my throat and my stomach. It was slightly painful, but it felt good. As my insides burned, so did my temper. My self-consciousness flew out the window along with my mind, as the alcohol kicked in. It looked like the small amount I drank wasn't so small for my petite body after all.

"You want a show, Izzy?"

She grinned at my face that I'm sure held a defiant and bold look, totally uncharacteristic for me.

"Then that's what you're gonna get."

Everyone's eyes, Jace's included, widened in shock. I guess _he_ didn't expect me to play along. _That's because you don't_. Obviously, the smart part of me disapproved, but my limbs grew a mind of their own. I stood up and unzipped my beloved green hoodie and let it fall on the floor.

The room was so quiet from the shock of me agreeing to this madness, that the noise it made echoed on the walls. Everyone but Alec, who was blushing and looking away, stared at the piece of clothing I let fall and I suddenly freaked out. _Maybe I am doing something wrong_. I looked at Magnus for some kind of advice, but instead of what I was waiting for I was met with a Cheshire smile and a slight nod _. Eh, might as well continue, now that I'm already screwed up_. I slowly bent down and undid my laces, taking my Chucks off. When I came back up, I undid the button on my jeans first and then the zipper. The sound of it may remain imprinted in my mind. The, I abruptly let go of it and my pants dropped to the floor.

I could feel a gaze burning holes into me. It was Jace's. He looked at my pants and slowly going up until he reached my face. He looked at my lips only to press his tighter and to grip his new bottle of beer herder. Then he trailed up to my eyes. When our gazes met, I wasn't staring into golden pools but into a dark abysses. That look would've made any girl throw her panties at him. Any girl but me. I wasn't getting fooled by some more black than golden eyes. He was a jackass and of the story.

 _I left Jace Herondale wordless_. It was my turn to smirk now. I kept eye contact with him, all the while gradually lifting my tank. _The look on his face. Worth it_. My underwear wasn't anything special, it wasn't even matched. Just a bit lacy white bra and black cotton undies.

The bell rang and I plastered on my face what I hoped was a somewhat seductive smile and went to open the door, making sure to sway my hips a bit on the way.

 _Game on, kitties_.

When I opened the door, the delivery-boy wasn't even looking at me. He was writing down something in his notebook.

"This is your order-"

That's when he looked up.

"I-uh-pizza with-"

"Hi. I'm Clary. Nice to meet you….."

He looked at me dumbstruck. He had a bit curly brown hair, grayish eyes and was well built too. If he wasn't some strange guy I've just met that could be a drug dealer in his free time for all I knew, I might consider doing something with that phone number I was about to get.

"Nate." He added in a hurry. "I'm Nate"

He was still so awed he actually made me giggle. Poor guy. Then I heard someone clear their throat somewhere behind me. My cue to finish.

"So Nate, maybe we could grab some coffee sometime. Here, give me your number."

I took one step closer to him so I could grasp the pen he had in his breast pocket and held it out to him expectantly, along with my palm.

He took my tiny hand with his shaky ones and wrote down his phone number. The moment he finished, I snatched my hand and the pizza box out of his hold and slammed the door in his face. _Not so hard after all._

I wasn't able to make it 3 feet away from the doorstep and Simon took the pizza from my hand and draped his hoodie on my back. I turned to look at him, he had a look of amusement, confusion and caution combined.

"What's up with the face?"

"Oh this? This is my 'did my best friend just pick up an unknown guy while being naked?' look. I have a hunch that I'll be using it pretty often while at Isabelle's"

I chose to ignore him all together because I had a hunch – who the hell uses that expression - that he was right. Instead, I turned to Izzy with a triumphant grin on my lips and a defiant look in my eyes. _Nailed it._

"Good enough for your tradition?"

To my surprise, she didn't have an astonished face, like Simon. She appeared satisfied. Of what, I think I have a pretty good guess. However, the same can't be said about Maia. It seems my oldest friends know me enough to bet that I wouldn't do anything like that for as long as I'd live, and lose. But hey, who's to blame them. Jordan and Alec just looked amazed and they've known for what, 10 minutes, while Magnus had pure amusement mirrored in his features with a bit of 'I knew it' glint.

Jace still had that creepy dark look that I had yet to identify. It's lust. Said a small voice in my head, though the thinking part of me knew better than o listen to it.

"Alec."

He looked at me, offended. He probably thought my target would be Izzy, but he's guilty by association through blood. That's a good enough reason for me.

"Truth."

 _Ughh. Very well. We'll have to work with what we have_. What question could possibly make Alec Lightwood blush. I mean, besides the obvious one – Magnus.

"How many guys have you dated?"

 _Bingo. Mission accomplished._

"Uh-...two"

I could actually see a happy glint in Magnus's eyes and a small smile at his lips _. You're welcome_. Alec glanced at him and mirrored his face. At seeing that, Izzy and I shared a 'my work here is done' look.

After a few more bottles of beer, Maia eating an Izzy-made pancake, Jordan licking the counter clean, Jace singing Baby by Justin Bieber, Simon dressing like a girl and doing the catwalk and Magnus convincing Alec to wear his glittery purple tank-top, it was finally the free-wheeling bisexual's (aka. Maggie's) turn to most probably dare someone.

"Isabelle."

When he said the name, something that was dangerously close to revenge sparkled in his eyes. Revenge for what, I didn't know but I was going to threaten it out of Izzy when all this was over and when I could actually remember her response. She just smirked. I suppose she and Magnus played this kinda stuff for quite some time if she wasn't afraid of what that diva-looking devil had in mind, or she's already experienced worse than whatever could be running through his mind. I however, didn't.

"I dare you to kiss Clary."

I flinched. Out of everything, either the universe hated me, or Magnus had some hidden agenda. I tend to think it was both. The air was out of my lungs, my body has stilled and my eyes have widened.

"How was that, Clary? If you want a show…"

That was her silent way of asking for my approval. I don't know what possessed me. Maybe it was the alcohol, the excitement of kissing another girl, Magnus' unspoken challenge, Simon's poorly masked eagerness or maybe, just _maybe_ the dark look that returned in Jace's eyes, but I replied.

"…well, you're gonna get a show."

I'm so gonna regret that.

Jace's P.O.V.

 _She's so gonna regret that._

I have no idea what happened with the Clary I know. The boring Clary I know would never strip. _Not that I complain. I don't know what I expected, but lace certainly wasn't it._ She would never pick up some random guy. Not to say she would never pick out some random guy while she's in her undies. She'd never succeed, but the being naked part might have had a pretty big role in that. She would never drink. _She actually snatched my bottle and downed it_. And she would never ever kiss a girl. I don't know why I say that, not that she has something against it, but I never actually thought that my best friend's baby sister would do anything that _sexy_.

I was wrong. So very wrong.

They looked at each other and bolted, drawing out a collective gasp from the rest of us. Izzy is like my sister, so looking at her kissing someone wasn't on my _To-Do List_ , to be honest. I have no idea why, but my eyes were glued to the little redhead. Simon's jacket slid slowly down her back and onto the floor. She was again in nothing but her underwear, her hands making their way up to Izzy's hair after the initial shock wore off. Her lips clashed furiously against the other girl's, kissing, nipping, sucking and biting _. How would it feel like if there were my lips she kissed._

She found my eyes and I couldn't tear my gaze away. Her eyes were almost black, just like mine. _My body she pressed herself into. My hands that grabbed at her hips_. Her skin looked smooth. _My name she said. My back she scratched._ Her hair smelled of strawberries _. My breath she inhaled_. The jeans I wore were suddenly too tight and the clothes she wore were suddenly too much. _Mine_. I groaned when she let out a slight moan in Izzy's mouth, but they luckily pulled away before I did anything stupid.

 _I blame that on the alcohol and the fact that she was almost naked._

"Well that was fun." Clary smirked and looked at me. She knew exactly what she was doing to me. Well, payback's a bitch.

"Couldn't agree more. Happy, Magnus?"

"Delighted."

But he was staring at me with that knowing look that made him look centuries old, not like a 17 year old teenager.

"Perfect. Since we already broke the ice in the LGBT department, …Alec. I dare you kiss Magnus"

Well that was unexpected. What was more unexpected was Alec _grinning_ jumping on disco-ball guy. Magnus was too taken aback at first, but quickly recovered and started kissing my brother like there was no tomorrow. That's my cue to look away. Wrong move. My eyes slid back to Clary and it was like she felt my gaze, because she looked back up at me. And smirked. _The guts! Drunk Clary = Cocky Clary. Noted_.

Finally, someone cleared their throat and the moaning stopped. We looked around at each other and Izzy was the first to recover

"Ok. Tomorrow we have school and a killer hangover to face so everyone go to sleep. Maia, Jordan and Simon, you get the two spare rooms on the second floor. Clary, you come with me and I suppose the rest of are already figured out….."

She winked in the two boys' direction and Alec blushed. That would be actually cute if Alec wasn't my brother.

"Good call Izzy. I'm exhausted and I can't wait to put that cozy bed of yours to good use."

 _Mind out of the gutter, Jace!_ Clary yawned and stretched, forgetting her clothes or better lack of. Yup, sleep heavenly.

But first, a _cold_ shower.

 ** _Thank you very much for the reviwes guys. I didn't even think that anyone would read my work and everytime i come and do a once-over to see how it goes i squeal. You are amaizing. Alsoo, lots of thank you-s to my best friend and beta for making this chapter and all the other ones readable. I would be responsible for your insanity after trying to read what i've written if it wasn't for her -_** mereee2002


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Clary's POV

 _Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!_

 _No!_ You know that moment of the day when you feel like you want to cry, though you haven't even started the day yet? Or when you feel like you have a brain melt-down and everything is falling apart, but you just don't care. Or when your head hurts so bad you want someone to end your pain but then you're still alive and breathing is suddenly horrible?

"Yeah, I know. Hangover's a bitch."

Wait. Did I say that aloud?

"Yes, you did. Now stop thinking out loud and drink this."

Despite my better judgement, the throbbing in my head, the too bright light on my face and the feeling in my gut that I'll regret it, I opened my eyes and stared at Jace's face that was right above mine watching me with an amused smile. _Wait. What!? Why is Jace's face right above mine!? Why is he here!?_

I shoot out of bed and looked around. _This is not my room. My room isn't black and it's definitely NOT hot pink. And neither is Jace Herondale._ _Where am I? What happened? Why is Jace here?_ Then it all came back. Yesterday, the cheerleaders' uniforms, Truth or Dare, the kiss, going to bed, everything.

"Izzy's room." I stated blankly.

"Great. Now that we agree on that one, drink this."

He looked at me expectantly, holding a glass of what looked like water and some pills. _Hangover pills, I suppose._ Then my head went back to being a pounding ball ready to explode. I swiftly shoved Jace out of my way, muttering something that was meant to be 'coffee' and dashed out of Izzy's room and towards the kitchen. I was wearing nothing but some gym shorts that were covered by my oversized tee which read 'according to chemistry, alcohol is a solution' _Ha! The universe is just so funny._

"Hey! That's my shirt!"

Ok. Maybe it is _Simon's_ tee that's covering my shorts. Maybe I did borrow them when we last had a Lord of the Rings marathon. Maybe I did take it without telling him. Maybe I do intend keeping it. But that's not important right now.

I look up at him and sneer. He goes pale when he realizes that it's morning and I didn't have my coffee. Ok, maybe I go a bit violent if I don't have coffee in the morning, but it isn't anything serious.

 _Ha! NOT._

I marched past Simon and entered the kitchen, where Izzy was checking her phone, Alec and Magnus were talking to each other and Maia was making breakfast with Jordan watching her.

"Good morning. Do you want-"

She looked at the person who entered and whitened when he saw me. She looked past my shoulder at a no doubtly terrified Simon who was nodding furiously. Poor them. They, at least, should know better than to leave a coffee deprived me with the Herondale in the same room. Maia shut off the stove with her back at it and looked at Izzy.

"Um, I-Izzy. Where do you k-keep the coffee?"

Iz, clearly confused at Maia's stutter, closed her phone and sighed. She looked at Maia, preparing a speech about bullshit caused by coffee, but the words stuck in her throat when she followed he gaze to me. Instead of a lecture, she got out directions.

"Drawer above the sink, first shelf"

Smart choice.

Maia staggered to get the coffee from where Isabelle told her and heat up some water. No one but Maia and Simon knew what was happening, but they got the hint to stay quiet and not move.

Then, the door was shoved back, showing an annoyed Jace with a hand cupping his right jaw.

"What the fuck!? You can't just walk around punching people like that!"

Apparently, he didn't get the hint. The air in the room tensed and I could see Simon bracing for what was going to happen. Jace seems to notice the mood in the room too, but it was too late. I slowly turned around and started laughing.

It was a rather hysterical laugh and I was holding my stomach. It was more of a laugh that kept me from crying _. No, I would not cry here, in from of them, in front of him._

"Oh. So let me get this straight. _I_ am not allowed to punch people but _you_ are allowed to fuck everything that breathes. What's wrong Blondie? Angry that not every girl is a slut that falls at your feet? What, no dumb bimbo to warm your bed last night? I'd say I'm sorry for you but I'm really not. You have just as little personality as they have and do the best to fit in, which is whoring yourself. Yeah, you'd rather do that because you're a coward, afraid to face the fact that mommy and daddy are no longer with you and that you are alone. You'd rather surround yourself with people that pretend to be your friends only to leech on your popularity. Surround yourself with skanks to satisfy your shallow ego because you are a COWARD!"

By the end of my rant, everyone was staring at me with mouths agape and eyes wide. Jace ended with his back against the wall and I somehow managed to stare him down.

"So you are wrong Jace Heronale. I am allowed to walk around and punch people"

I just stood there, panting like I just ran marathon, chest rising and falling at top speed, crazy eyes and face twisted with anger.

Jace had a dark expression on his face. Not the kind he had yesterday, but something else entirely. His eyes, usually full of life and smugness were now empty and his arrogant smirk was gone, replaced with a straight line. He looked hollow, devoid of any emotion. That's when the gravity of my words hit me and I sank to my knees, all of my built up energy sinking out of me because of my huge display of anger.

The coffee long forgotten, I bent over myself on the floor.

Izzy's POV

 _What the fuck was that?_

When Maia asked where the coffee was and I looked at Clary, I knew something was wrong. Her hair was screwed up and she looked half dead but I blamed that onto the fact that maybe that's how she looks in the morning. You know, curly hair and all but there was something else. There was an air she had around her, like she would jump and kill in a second's notice. A vibe of wrongness. The moment I took her in, my brain practically started screaming _handle with precaution. Run. Run. Run._ The room was dead quiet but no, Jace had to come in of course.

The moment he snapped at Clary I could feel her snapping too. But it was like something was bent so much that all it needed was a little push and it would break and bring havoc. And of course, the _little push_ had to be Jace.

As words tumbled out of her mouth, my eyes grew wider, the atmosphere in the room grew slacker, Clary grew louder and Jace grew whiter. She screamed truths he wasn't ready to hear. She screamed truths none of us was ready to hear. After Clary's knees hit the floor, everyone was so quiet you could actually hear the wind slightly blowing outside. It's like we were afraid to move or startle something and risk bringing doom over all of us. When the shock wore off they sprang into action. Alec and Jordan were at Jace's side in less than a moment, trying to shake him from whatever daze Clary put him into. Magnus and I were the only ones left.

"Hmmm. Looks like biscuit is a little bit shattered too" he muttered more to himself than me. Then he turned his eyes to my brothers, watching intently.

I looked at Clary. She was crunched over herself on the floor and looked more broken than the Twin Towers after the bombing. Her best friends were hovering over her, half too concerned and half too afraid to touch her. When Simon worked up the courage to, she jumped 3 feet away like he had burned her. She snarled at him, more animal than human.

"Don't touch me!"

But it wasn't angry. It was agonized and exhausted. She was looking at Simon but not realty _seeing_ him. She looked at him like he was a ghost. Like he was someone else.

He flinched at her words like he couldn't really stop himself though he knew they weren't meant for him. Something was wrong. As in really wrong.

Clary looked scared when she slammed the front door behind her, like she wanted to get as far away from here as possible. I wanted to go after her. I wanted to see what's wrong. I wanted to figure out what made her snap. And I was going to but Alec caught me. Jace ran past me and the front door slammed again.

"Are you crazy!? They will kill each other. Tear each other to shreds or worse! You can't leave them alone. Didn't you see what just happened!?"

He just looked at me with a sad face and nodded. My brother was very protective over the rest of us and he would never let Jace go after Clary if he didn't know something. I trusted my brother and hoped I did the right choice.

If I wasn't getting answers out of Clary, I was getting answers from _someone_. I walked to Simon and Maia.

"What happened? What got her all fuming like that?"

"Clary's past wasn't… nice. It was pretty rough."

"Yeah. She keeps it all bottled up and thinks she can manage it until she can't anymore. She doesn't have any problems during the day, but in the morning, is like she totally loses it."

"She has no energy to keep her emotions in a leash and gets like that. Though, it has never been this bad."

"She need something to keep her sane and she found that _something_ to be coffee. That's why we-" she gestured to herself and Simon "-always have hot coffee in the morning when she gets up. Always"

"It is usually physical damage, like breaking things and screaming for someone to stop. She flinches from us. It's like she's not there and she tries to control everything and it usually works."

"Today was, scary. She never says anything like that. I mean we know she pretty much can't be in the same room as Jace, but she would never say that. That wasn't her."

"What do you mean by 'not nice'?" Now I was really worried. What could possibly happen to get her like that.

"We don't know. She never told us more than this. Every time we tried she closed off. She put a barrier, or changed the subject or whatever."

"Looks like our little carrot tries to forget her future, but it's coming after her" Magnus spoke for the first time that morning, more than muttered thoughts.

"Let's see if two broken pieces can put themselves back together"

He didn't elaborate more than that. He went out of the kitchen, tugging Alec after him. They both looked sad, but at least they were sad together. Not like a certain little redhead who wouldn't want to be sad with someone or even be near someone for that matter. _Jace had it coming, whatever Hell he'll get._

But why go after her. Why even bother listen to what she said. Why run like that. Why _care…_

Jace's POV

I don't know what happened. What she said was… true. But I couldn't figure out for the life of me how she knew it. How she knew about my parents. How she saw _through_ my lies, how she saw _through_ my façade, how she saw _me_. In that moment, my mind shut down on its own accord, no longer hearing anything but the angry screams of a falling apart girl and the memories of a screwed up childhood. Sure, the Lightwoods treated me like family and their kids felt like actual siblings to me. But there was something before that. That's why my name is Herondale and not Lightwood, after all.

I don't know what got me after her. Maybe it was the fact that she said things I wasn't able to admit to myself, or the fact that she was right, or the fact that though she yelled at me like I was her life enemy she looked scared, or maybe that she was falling apart and there was no one to put her back or maybe it was something else entirely. It didn't matter, because there I was, looking at the sight I didn't think I'd see in my entire life:

Clary crouched over herself on the pavement, hands to her face, body rocking from sobs. She was with her back to me and I could hear her muttering things like 'Please. Stop. Don't touch me. No' she pulled at her hair and let out a tormented cry, though there were no words in it.

I felt my heart sink at the sight of strong-willed fiery Clary crying like this and my fists clenched at the thought of anything getting her like this. I suddenly wanted to punch a hole in the road.

I slowly made my way towards the pile of red curls that was Clary and gently touched her back. She flinched away like I hurt her and turned to face me.

She was frenetic and looked at me with panic in those green eyes of hers.

"No! Stay away!"

"Shhh, Clary. It's me, the arrogant asshole you fancy calling 'Goldie'."

"Jace?"

Wow. I half didn't expect her to guess. I mean, I knew I was an arrogant asshole but still. I chuckled half-heartedly.

"The one and only"

She visibly relaxed at that. She didn't look ready for the world to end, her shoulders loosened up and her face was glowing with obvious relief. I have no idea what came over me, but I had the yearning to hold her and comfort her, so I just did.

I enveloped her in my arms. Her body was so small pressed against my huge one, so delicate, but I knew she was anything but. That's why when she accepted my hug with one of her own I knew she was really losing it.

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said what I said to you. It's not my business. I just, lost it. I'm-"

"Shhh… Calm down. No need to apologize. What you said was true. Don't cry, you're safe"

She just cried harder. She was stubborn even now. After what felt like an eternity of Clary crying in my chest and me caressing her back, she felt slack into my arms. _What the hell am I supposed to do? I've never been in this situation before. Girls are in my arms, yes. But not crying ones!_

I picked Clary up bridal-style and carried her back inside. When I wanted to put her on the sofa, she must've subconsciously tightened her arms around my neck, because she had me in a vice grip. When I tried to pry her arms from my neck she whimpered and whispered 'safe'. That literally broke my heart.

I laid both of us on the sofa, her in front of me. I couldn't think of anything but the rightness of her right here, in my arms. She cuddled in my chest, our legs intertwining. I laid my head down and suddenly felt a wet nose in the crook of my neck.

"Maybe we can be friends, after all, Red."

"Whatever you say, Goldie." She sighed in contempt.

She was awake. All this time, she has been awake. Well, screw school. I'm too comfy to get up now.

The last thing I saw before I fell asleep was a grinning Magus at the top of the stairs, watching us with a centuries old knowing kinda look.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

CPOV

 _Tuesday. Ah… second day of the week._

School day none than less. I have just woken up in my bed. _Wait._ Not _my_ bed. I was at the Lightwood mansion and that was Izzy's bed –and what a cozy bed she had. I rested my head on the fluffy pillow and snuggled closer in the blankets and-

 _What the hell._ My pillow moved. Well, more like it inhaled. That'd be ok if not for an itsy-bitsy tiny problem: pillows don't breathe. _Aaaaand… there goes my nap._ I was suddenly aware of everything around me. That I was in the Lightwood's ginormous living room, that it was actually 2pm. And I was late for classes, that I overslept in a couch, that my pillow was a human, that-

 _Human!?_ Suddenly alarmed I looked up and it was indeed a human. And not any human but fucking Jace. And it all came rushing back. This morning, the coffee scene, angry-Clary, how I broke down, how Jace was there… how I slept a dreamless night for the first time in far too long.

I slowly but surely tried to pry his muscular arms away from me, but he just tightened his grip and burrowed his head further in my crazy frizz. There was no way I could get away from the damned couch and I was stuck with a gigantic asleep body keeping me in place. Lovely. I tried to nudge him awake: nope. I tried to pinch him: nope. I ever bit his shoulder: he barely groaned and pulled me closer. _Desperate times call for desperate measures._ Not knowing what else to do and with my brain almost abandoned me completely this early in the morning (ot that it was still morning by now), I did what even a four year old would think of doing: I licked him. Right across the face and covered his right side of the face in my disgusting saliva.

He suddenly stood up in the couch, blinking a few times as if to take in his surroundings.

"You licked me." He said and silence took over, like he was letting his own words sink in.

"You licked me!"

"Well, you left me no choice! When I woke up this morning-" he murmured something that sounded very much like an amused 'afternoon' "-I was expecting anything _but_ a sleeping Jace on top of me!"

"Now now, Clary. That's not the response I usually get when I wake up with a girl in bed. You should try something among the lines 'you're amazing' or 'that was the greatest-"

"No! Shut up, you perv. I didn't mean I like that!"

 _Ah._ And here we go again. Annoying Jace and beet-red Clary are back like we weren't cuddling together just mere seconds ago, like the reason of his former dead eyes and the tear stained asphalt didn't actually exist. _But he was there_. Said a stupid voice in my head. And I much as I'd _love_ to do nothing more than ignore empathic Clary, she was right. Maybe I was right. Maybe _he_ was hiding somewhere behind the infuriatingly smug smirk and cocky ablaze eyes. _Maybe he can get a second chance, right?_

"I suppose you want some coffee?"

Ok. _He's definitely getting a second chance_.

"Yes, please!" I almost moaned in anticipation of the heavenly liquid.

He merely chuckled and led the way to the kitchen. He made his was across the kitchen and I sat down at a chair near the counter, getting myself a green apple to kill time. Jace reached for a mug that was on the high enough shelves that I'm sure I couldn't have possinbly done so myself. He grabbed the coffee from the drawer above the sink and unceremoniously dumped some in the coffee machine. Few seconds later, black liquid was pouring in the baby-blue mug.

To my curiosity, Jace chuckled, drawing al my attention back to him. He got closer until his nose was marely 2 inches from mine and his hand on my chin, lifting my head up to meet his unrelenting gaze, to meet gold with green. With his free hand he grabbed the apple from my mouth and bit from it himself.

"Who knew coffee could be such a turn on for some people."

 _Ping._

My stolen apple forgotten, I got past Jace, making sure to shove his shoulder in the process and to the steamy cup of coffee. I gently took it from the plastic claw of the machine and to the table in the middle of the kitchen. I wasted no time and drank from it. This time, I actually moaned the second the coffee touched the tip of my tongue, when I felt it flow through my veins, giving me the necessary strength not to kill the very human being that I could feel hovering above me.

"You know, if someone could get high with coffee, it'd be you." he said with a mock serious expression, like standing there 'observing me from afar'.

"You know, if you wouldn't be such an ass, we could actually be friends."

"Compromises can be made."

"Oh yeah? And what compromise would _you_ make, Mr. Democracy?"

He actually looked thoughtful for a moment, like thinking of what he could _possibly_ give that I would accept from him.

"Hot coffee every morning?"

"Are you trying to bribe me?"

"Depends, is it working?"

"Asshat." Though I couldn't stop the smile playing on my lips because of our bickering.

"Is that a 'yes'?"

"It's not a 'no'." I responded and was met with Jace's trade-mark smirk.

I went back to drinking my coffee and glaring at him from behind my mug every time he'd bite from _my_ green apple _. Always the jackass._ That's when his phone rings with 'Dead' by My Chemical Romance. Okay, the guy has good taste in music, I'll give him that. Jace picked it up without even looking at the caller ID, still munching on my apple. Gross.

"Oh, hey Jon."

 _Jon?_ Oh, fan-freaking-tastic. School. Jon must have been worried sick!

" _Yeah, yeah. I searched for Clary and she's nowhere to be found, so I asked that nerdy best friend of hers and he told me they had a sleepover atht Izzy's place. Since you weren't at school either, figured you'd be home."_

"If that's your way of subtly askig me if Clary is here, One: you suck at the 'subtle' part, Two: yeah, she's still here"

My brother didn't know what happened with me while I was away and I wasn't plaining on telling him any time soon. Only three people know what happened and two of them are me and my mother. He knew about the main idea of it, but certainly not the full extent or the details and wasn't ready for them either. It's too painful for me talk about it. The police knows, of course, but that's about it. It took me too long to crawl out of the depressing hole I was in for a while, and I'm certainly not looking forward to going back by remembering wasted weeks of my lie. What he _does_ know, is that I go ballistic if I don't have my coffee. Which is probably why he checked on me and started searching for me when he didn't find me at school. To see if we need any body sacks.

 _"_ _Cool, man. Did she have her coffee?"_

 _Wah…Way to be discreet, big bro._ just as I though my fate has been sealed and mom was sending me back to London to stay a while with Aunt Charlotte, Jace looked at me questioningly. What can I say, I'm one lucky girl. Well, as lucky as I can be with my day getting started by a bitch fit. Still, I not furiously.

"Yeah man. She did. She just overslept."

I smile at him. Maybe he's not _that_ bad.

"And practically kicked and growled at everything that got within a meter of her."

Or maybe he is. _Yet_ , he still lied to his best friend to cover up from me from momma-bear one and momma-bear two. Counts for something, right?

 _"_ _That's morning-Clary for you"_ he said and let out a relieved sigh _"Good she had her coffee, tho. You got no idea how she is when she doesn't. Wouldn't wish it o the quarterback from the Edom team."_

Now, _that_ 's just exaggerating. The idiot loud-mouth I like to call brother is obviously overreacting. Besides, mother has never used that china anyways.

"Yeah, no idea. Lucky me." His voice was dripping in icy sarcasm. _Ouch._

 _"_ _Anyway, tell her I got her covered, but she owes me one."_ Of course, why would he do anything out of goodness of the heart.

"Sure, man. I'll pass it on." And he hung up the phone without another word.

Jace may be an ass. Scratch that. Jace is the biggest ass ever, but that's Jace. Arrogant, cocky, egocentric, self-centered, annoying, rude, womanizer, harshly truthful, impulsive, childish, stubborn and the list goes on. But still Jace. Asking him to be someone else is like asking Simon to never again watch 'Star Wars' –we all know it's never gonna happen. Signature smirk, smug eyes, 'Mr. Know-It-All' branded on his forehead and a 'sexy and I know it' attitude. Jace.

"Since big bro got you covered and I really could care less, what do you wanna do with the rest of the day, Dexter?" see what I'm saying!?

"Princess, I'm making a huge effort not to punch you in the gut, but you're making it excruciatingly hard."

"Ouch, Ginge. You wound me." He said and put a hand on his chest where his heart was supposed to be, the other one on his forehead and started making chocking sounds.

"Ok wannabe Drama Queen. I have a preposition." I set my mug down and sit in what I hope is my best 'let's get down to business' position. Seemed like my change in demeanor didn't go unnoticed 'cus he stopped acting and chocking and looked at me curiously.

"What happened?" his brow furrowed and he crossed his arms over his chest. Was that concern I heard in his voice? Yeah, like I killed a man, burned a house, got banned from Peru and became a fugitive in the last few seconds since he hung up with my brother. I mean, I may or may not be a little feisty, but I'm certainly not that bad. That just begged for an eye-roll and who was I not to comply.

"Nothing happened, not wet you pants. I want to propose you a treaty." I realized that it sounded completely wrong just _after_ the words left my mouth. They sounded wrong even for my own ears and I could tell Jace was having a pretty hard time not laughing out loud. His eyes were alight with amusement, his lips were pressed into a thig line and his hands were gripping the edge on the table. _Haha! Very funny, Herondale._

"What meant to say is that since we'll be seeing a lot of each other, as in more than usual with me and Izzy, we might as well not be at our throats all the time. What I'm trying to say is that _If_ you stop being rude and mean and an ass more than necessary to me, then I'll stop being a bitch and yell at you."

He just looked at me like I've grown two heads. What can I say. It felt nice to be the one to shut him up. May this day be marked in history as the day when Jace Herondale didn't have a smartass comeback. After a few moments of blissful silence, that stupid grin of his got plastered on his face. That grin when I could see that his incisor was a tiny bit chipped, proof that his body wasn't one of a Greek God's. I know, flimsy evidence, but there none than less. I know he's an ass and that out of that perfect mouth flowed the biggest bullshit to ever be heard on earth, but I'm only human and not blind. Attractive doesn't cover it.

"So, Red. You're saying that you want us to be friends."

"No, Rapunzel. Focus. I'm saying that I want us not to be enemies."

He was thoughtful for a moment. Well, at least he looked thoughtful for a moment. If it wasn't for the glint in those impossibly golden eyes, I could've been easily fooled. But really, should've known better than to expect him to be serious.

"Sounds good enough. But I'm telling you, Red. This is the beginning of a wonderful and prospering friendship."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Casanova." And he went for a hug.

Drama Queen or no Drama Queen, _that_ 's not happening. I dodged his extended arms with no problem and he kinda hugged the air from where I stood mere seconds before. He turned and glared at me, muttering something like an exasperated 'Fine'. He fortunately settled for a more fool-proof-ish display and extended his hand.

"Jace Herondale. Ravishingly hot guy with mouth-watering looks and a natural charm." _Challenge_accepted._ I shook his right hand with mine. And smiled the best innocent smile I could muster.

"Clary Fray. Ravashingly-hot-guy-with-mouth-watering-good-looks-and-a-natural-charm ass kicker." He chuckled.

"Feisty, are we." I just grin.

"Maybe not hating you won't be so bad after all. That is, as long as you don't forget about that hot coffee you promised me."

"Maybe." He slung an arm over my shoulders and started making his way towards the front door." I may have or haven't whined a bit about having to move so soon after eating my lunch-ish breakfast.

"Now, Red. Let's go celebrate our first day of not-enemies-ship day at Taki's." That's all I needed to hear. I started running across the front lawn and shouted over my shoulder to Jace to hurry up so I could get to those heavenly pancakes sooner.

 ** _Hey guys!_**

 ** _I know I'm about a few hours late but I just dropped dead in heavenly sleep a few hours ago. I was just exhausted from all the all nighters I pulled off in the last days that I just couldn't keep my eyes open anymore. I know it's kind of a lame excuse and I'm so very sorry. Woke up like half hours ago, connected back to reality and remembered that my lazy ass couldn't stay awake for a few more minutes to update._**

 ** _Also, sorry for next week. I'm hopping in a plane to Paris with my parents and will be gone until Wednesday morning. I'll most probably have my laptop with me, but If I don't, then I'll just post an extra chapter when I get back._**

 ** _Thanks for the reviews and for actually reading this and I still have something close to a fangirl moment every time I post a chapter or look at how MANY people read it. Well, maybe you're not many, but you're more than enough._**

 **** ** _END OF TRANSMITION_**


	9. Schedule

_**Hello guys. This is Clary's school schedule. now that I'm back from Paris I'll post soon enough. i made this so 1) you will know what's happening and what's SUPPOSED to be next 2) so i wont screw up the day and knowing that you know what comes next, I'll put extra effort into actually respecting the schedule. Yeah, I'm just that lazy.**_

 _ **MONDAY**_

Advanced English

Creative Writing

Phisycs

Lunch

Biology

Giometry

PE

 _ **TUESDAY**_

Creative Writing

Grammar

Chemestry

Lunch

Algebra

Calculus

Child Development

 _ **WEDNESDAY**_

English Advanced

Giometry

Phisycs

Lunch

Debate

Painting

Spanish

 ** _THURSDAY_**

Advanced English

Grammar

Psychology

Lunch

Study Hall

Algebra

Calculus

 ** _FRIDAY_**

English

Biology

Spanish

Lunch

Music

PE

Painting


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

CPOV

Ahhh… Taki's. Always loved that place. It's not really fancy looking. Actually, it looks like an abandoned house from the outside, you know, with painting slowly peeling off and black windows. Pretty creepy, I know. But damn isn't nice when you step inside. The doorbell rang the moment I stepped over the threshold.

I take the lead go straight to my favorite booth, somewhere in the back of the restaurant. It feels cozy in here, light just perfect, walls of relaxing colors like brown and beige. It's just perfect. And I can say that even before I taste their food, which is otherworldly in comparison to the food I'd usually eat at home.

I have to admit, I feel a little giddy to be here with Jace Herondale, the 'it' guy in our high-school, my big brother's best friend, my best friend's big brother and, the most importantly, my archenemy. I know, I could be nice. He just had to be civil. And less annoying. And probably less rude and- _no._ I just needed to focus o the positive stuff an everything would be fine and everyone would get out of here in one piece. _Focus on the positive, damn it girl!_

I picked up a menu and pretended to start reading, just to avoid the awkward silence. Which is weird, because never in my life have I ever had any problem about it being too silent while next to Mr. Herondale right there. There was no awkward silence. There was yelling and bickering so I guess silence was off the menu. Now that we're _friends_ , I guess I have to be nice and stuff, but that's too bad because on a scale from 0 to 10, my social skills are a -20. Yeah, sad, I know.

JPOV

'Awkward' is putting it lightly.

I was pretty excited at first. You know with all the not-enemies-ship thing and that I could invest all the energy it took me to stay mad at Red and think of witty remarks to tell her, into something else. And trust me, that would be a lot of bonus energy.

But then, it all became odd. She went somewhere in the back of the local and slid in a booth and picked up the menu. I sat down across from her. I really, really, _really_ tried to suppress a laugh when I saw her holding the menu. Not only she probably knew it by heart and already knew what she wanted to order, but she was holding it upside down. _At least I know I'm not the only one feeling awkward._ I snorted lightly, but decided to keep my mouth shut. Wouldn't want to destroy whatever kind of progress we _finally_ made. But of course, she just had to hear.

"What?" she looked at me with those big, green and confused eyes. Head cocked to the side a little and a slight furrow in her brows. She looks so cute and – _what?! No! Shut up, brain!_

"Oh, but I didn't know you were such a talented little thing and that you could read-"

"Of course I know how to read!"

" –upside down." I finished.

Clary looked down at the menu as If she hasn't been staring at it since we've gotten in here. A cute rosy color takes up her cheeks, the top of her ears and is making its way down to her neck. She looks so pretty like his, with the – _Pretty?! Um, damn no! I reuse to think of Clary Fray as pretty._

CPOV

What's it with me? I don't get nervous around boys and especially not around _him._ I've known him for years and never have I ever felt so, so… _Gahh!_ I don't even know how. This shouldn't be happening and whatever _this_ is, I hope it stops soon. I mean, I know I'm not the best with socializing, but c'mon, even I can make small talk.

"So… how was your day?" No. Just, no. That's a dumb question and maybe small talk is really not my thing.

"Oh, you know, the usual. Wake up in the morning, have breakfast, get punched in the face and yelled at by my sister's feisty redhead friend, go to sleep with said redhead and miss school. Not that much of a thing."

Yeah well, if he wouldn't have been that much of an asshole to begin with, I wouldn't have punched him or have anything to yell at him. That's all on him, really. And as for the other, it's not like I held a knife at his throat and threatened him into going to sleep with me. But sure, blame it on me. It's all my fault that his ego is too big to handle a first rejection or that he hated me. But then again, I hated him too. So it's a truce. Instead of saying that, I settled for a more none-aggressive reply.

"If you liked it that much, maybe we should make it a tradition."

"Are you suggesting that we should skip school every Tuesday _together?_ Or that we should go to sleep _together?_ Or come at Taki's and eat pancakes _together,_ Red? Not that I complain, I'm totally in."

That was so definitely not thought through. Judging by the smirk on his face, I don't think he'd mind a few more rounds of bickering. I would totally be game if it wasn't for this stupid, weird, awkward nervousness affecting my thinking, my wit and therefore my ability to squash him. So maybe I should just keep my mouth shut. Seems like a better idea than losing in front of him so he can use it later to tease me, like he doesn't already have enough material like the coffee thing, the fact that I _cried_ in front of him, thing that can be said by people I can count on one hand, and many others.

So I close my mouth shut, cross my arms and lean back in my seat, looking at him like _daring_ him to say anything else. Smartly, he doesn't and stares right back at me. We were kind of in a stare-down contest, waiting to see who would look away first, when a waitress arrived. She is tall, with legs that seemed to stretch on for miles and miles, blond hair that was obviously dyed like that, blue eyes, narrow waist and huge chest and butt. She wears what can be described as a very far-fetched option of the uniform. She evidently enjoyed showing off her chest with the extremely low v-neck crop-top and her ass with a tight skirt that barely covered her. Basically, she was the epitome of Jace's type. Her name-tag read Kaelie. As in Kaelie Whitewillow, girl from my Advanced English class. To be honest, I'm surprised that she can form a proper sentence, so I have no idea what was she doing in that class.

She pointedly ignores me, looking only at the boy in front of me, as if I am not even here. _Way to treat a client._

"Hello Jace. What would you like today?" she says in a high-pitched annoying voice. Batting her eyelashes, smiling sweetly and flipping her hair, she's obviously trying to flirt and I don't blame her. I'm woman enough to admit that he has a rockin' bod, but to so shamelessly do it, while barely clothed, I'm surprised no one has reported her yet.

"Just the usual, Kaelie." He's just flirting. He has a reputation to uphold, _right?_ He's voice lowered and he sits more relaxed in his seat, arms more spread and eyelids a bit lowered, or maybe is just me imagining things.

Kaelie comes closer to our table, particularly closer to Jace. Too close. _Woh-woh-woh. Why do I care if she's too close anyways. He has probably already hooked up with her._ I clear my throat just for safe measure. She slashed her head around, her hair making a whipping noise and it probably would've hurt like one, considering that her hair is no longer soft and silky, but harsh from all the chemicals she used on it. She's glaring at me like I'm a bug on her shoe, but I refuse to glare back. It would be like entering whatever contest she thinks she's playing for winning Jace over. And I, for one, refuse to do that. Instead, I smirk. At least I can get on her nerves if I can't get her to run along or go away and put some clothes on.

"And I would like a big slice of chocolate cake, big coconut pancakes and a big smoothie."

Kaelie huffs indignantly, glares at me for a second longer and stomps off, flipping her whip-like hair in the process and sways her hips a bit too much, but I think she just can't help it because of the probably 7 inches heels that make her wobble on her feet. I might be a little smug that I annoyed the whore, but I don't feel even in the least bit sorry. I hear a throat clearing and look back to my companion that a few seconds ago was ready to start making out with an employee during work.

"Possessive much?" he asks, but despite the teasing tone he used, there was a glint in his eyes that makes me stop and stare. I'm positive that I can't identify it, for I've never seen it before. I shove it in the back of my mind, promising myself that I will think about it later, or never. It's kind of a safe for thoughts and there go all things I don't want to think about or remember. I have lots of things in there from a few years ago, but confusing molten-gold-like eyes are not something I need to overthink.

"And what would I have to be possessive of?"

"Well, me."

"Are you insinuating that I'm owning you, or that you want me to own you, or that I will own you?" I say smugly. _Two can play a game, Herondale._

He realizes how his plan to tease me over my short temper backfires and sits back in his seat, scowling at me. Clary-1. Jace-0. But still, I can't help it and despite myself, I smile.

We are rudely interrupted _again_ by the exaggeratedly loud clicking of heels. Though I glare at her, Jace just resumes his casual position, but this time, he seems completely bored. Kaelie is holding a tray with something that doesn't look like my order at all. I've been here too many times to count and I can confidently say that French-fries are definitely not pancakes.

She goes to Jace and leans down with the tray and tries to push her boobs further out, the flimsy clothing now barely covering them. She sticks out her butt and I swear the If I was behind her I could've seen her underwear. That is, if she wears any. She puts the food on the table and next thing you know, they're making out. _How dare she!?_ Actually, I don't care that she's making out with him, because that's not my problem. What I care about is that I came here with Jace and now he's groping and sucking faces with the waitress. Has he no respect for me, at all?!

I stand up and mutter an irritated 'Don't mind me' on my way out. I storm out through the front entrance and angrily walk back to Izzy's house so I can get my stuff. I check the time and decide that I'd rather not go there and come face to face with Izzy and a sure to come whirlwind of questions. I'll call her and ask her to bring my bag tomorrow at school. So I change directions to my house. But then I remember that I don't have her phone number. _Back to the Lightwoods._ Or I can just text Magnus to tell Izzy to bring my bag tomorrow and give me her number. _Back home._ I must look really weird for other people, zig-zagging on the street with a murderous face, but right now I really could care less.

First, I pass my morning-coffee. Then I throw a bitch-fit and yell at Jace and start crying in front of said boy's house. _After that_ I fall asleep with the devil himself, only to wake up and realized I missed school. Highlight of my day was pancakes with my soon-to-be friend, but Jace had to ruin that too, didn't he? Can this day get any worse? And it starts raining.

 _Really, universe? That is so cliché._ It was really my fault that I trusted him. I should've known better than that. He's just an idiot, simpleton, blockhead, twit, imbecile jerk. Whatever I expected from him it was obviously too much. He doesn't even deserve my attention. Why waste my breath on him when he obviously doesn't even care. It's better to ignore him.

I'm now in front of my house and I open the door. First thing I see is Jon on the sofa, watching whatever stupid football game it's on TV.

"Mom and Dad are out- _waah…_ What happened?" and I slam the door shut.

"You want to know what happened, brother dearest? Me and your son of a bitch of a friend went out for pancakes. We actually agreed to be almost friends, well, he kinda guilted me into that, but still. At Taki's was the one and only Kaelie Whitewillow, taking our order. Not only did he shamelessly flirt with her, but they all but dry-humped in the restaurant LIKE I WASN'T EVEN THERE! THE, I HAD TO _WALK_ BACK HOME WITH BUCKES OR WATER RAINING AND SOAKING MY FREACKING CLOTHES!" I yell at him. I know it's not his fault but I'm too angry to care.

I throw my hands in the air and stomp upstairs to my bedroom. I'm slamming my door, because slamming doors seems to have become my new hobby, when my phone rings.


	11. Chapter 10

_**A/N: Hey there guys.**_

 _ **I know you probably hate me for being so so so very late, but please don't. I would've updated last week if I wouldn't have forgotten to press the freaking 'save' button, so I wouldn't need to rewrite a whole chapter. I also got swamped with school and got NEW lovely books that I just had to read.**_

 _ **Alsoooo, writing proved to be much much harder than I initailly though an apparently my though just don't write themselves out. I have so may ideas I just don't know what to do.**_

 _ **Holiday is fast approaching, but if you think I'll have more time to write, you're wrong. I will barely be at home, and while I'm away the nearest sign of human life will be a few hours walk away. Yay for me! That's what brings me here: i move my updates to one/month. I know it's excruciatingly slow, but when summer is over, I'm in for a very hard year with lots of school where I will barely have time to breathe, so deal with it.**_

 _ **Here is the chapter you've waited (hope so) for a while:**_ Chapter 10

CPOV

Dead by My Chemical Romance resonates through the room that is now strangely quiet. I quickly reach for my phone in my back pocket and close my eyes, because honestly, I really don't want to know who it's calling me right now. but hey, who am I fooling… there's only one person I can think about when listening to this specific song and I think we all know who THAT is. I open my eyes and look at my screen.

Jace Herondale

I'm not ready for this conversation. I'm done screaming because of him and I definitely don't want him to know how much his not paying attention to me has affected me. It's common sense that when you bring someone to, well, _anywhere,_ you converse with said someone not start kissing strangers. But, of course, common sense is too much to ask from _him._ After thinking this over way too much, I pick up my phone at the last ring only to be greeted by a now familiar voice.

" _Hey there Clare. Jace forgot his phone at home and I nowhere to be seen and since you're the last one who, you know, saw him, I was wondering where he is."_

 _"_ Oh. Um… hi Iz. Jace is probably fucking Kaelie at the moment, but as to where I don't have the slimmest idea. He could be anywhere, really, since a restaurant didn't seem like such an inappropriate place for them to dry-hump."

" _Oooo-ok. I would ask what happened, but I don't think I want to now. #life with Jace."_ Smart girl.

"No. You really don't want to know what happened. Anyways, can you bring my bag with clothes and all the other stuff I had at you place tomorrow at school?"

" _Yeah, no problem. That is, if you decide to actually show up at school tomorrow"_

I roll my eyes and shake my head, but then remember she can't actually see me. _Of course she said that._

"Yeah, whatever you say. See ya tomorrow, Lightwood." And I hang up without waiting for her reply.

My conversation with Izzy helped me calm down like, a lot. But then I remember why I needed to calm down and my blood starts boiling like it's on fire all over again. But it's only my fault. First and foremost I shouldn't have given him my trust. It was absolutely stupid and childish of me, but I guess I _wanted_ to trust him. I _wanted_ to believe that the cocky ass façade isn't who he actually is after all. That's all on me.

I toss my phone away and hear it land somewhere I hope it's my desk, climb in my bed and sit cross-legged In the middle of it, facing the door. I think about how I slept in the same hose as the guy I hated, how I punched him and how I broke down on said guy's front porch. And then I think about how he held me while I cried, how he comforted me and how he made me coffee and about how I almost had pancakes with my archenemy. _It was all a mistake,_ I tell myself. I think about all the things that happened, that could've happened and that should've happened if he wasn't and idiotic jerk. And then I take all of those thoughts and shove them in the back of my head, in that safe o mine.

I have to admit, it's a room rather than a safe now. Then I remember why I blew up this morning and the very thing I created the safe from almost burst out- _No! Goddammit, no!_ That's definitely not happening. I close my eyes so tight that I start seeing stars, scrunch up my nose in concentration and firmly close the door trap all the thing I desperately want to forget behind it.

I take one last calming breath and slowly open my eyes and see my mahogany door. With Jace Herondale standing in it. Smirking. _The Universe is testing me_. I calmly heave off my mattress, my expression blank and his smirk grows. I take my time walking up to him and when I'm standing in front of him, with our chest almost touching when we inhale, I look up and see him staring at me with barely concealed excitement. I stare right back at him, but my eyes guarded and vacant, and square my shoulders. His smirk grows, if that's even possible. I suppose he was waiting for me to combust and blow up in his face, so he'd see how much his thoughtlessness has affected me, that I'm mad out of my mind and I feel like punching the daylights out of him.

I continue to stare in those molten gold eyes of his, eyes that merely two hours ago seemed so sincere looking at me, eyes of the boy who offered me pancakes, who has opened up to me even I it wasn't willingly when I yelled at him the truth. That vulnerability… maybe that's why he did it. To cover up that tiny little crack in his well-polished armor. But then I see the eagerness In his eyes. Eager to win and to chip away at my pride the way he's always done, eager to upset me just so he'd feel better about himself. _Not anymore_. It's my turn to have the upper hand. I refuse to give him any sense of satisfaction and I refuse to let him win.

So I plaster on the most pleasant and sweetest smile I have, clean my eyes of any emotion that might've remained there and push him back _gently_ , much to his dismay. I close the door behind both of us and look at him point blank. What he can see on my face is a reflection of what I can on his. Nothing real. A fake smile and a fake expression and fake eyes. Something flashes in his eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it came.

I skip downstairs, feeling thrilled that I got one on Jace. I know it _is_ rather childish, but even when I had the last word I still felt defeated, which infuriated me even further. I didn't utter one word to Jace, as I decided that the best way to shield against his jabs was not to acknowledge them and the best way to do that was to interact to him as little as possible. And though I did not speak to him, my message was quite clear and the flash in his eyes is all I need to know he understood.

 _I've made my move, now it's your turn._

JonPOV

I know Clary was mad when she came in and I know she went upstairs, most probably to her room. There were two options from the moment she slammed her door: hell broke loose and I'd have to go and keep her from destroying every piece of furniture she's ever owned, or she'll get stuck in her head and forget everything about the real world and time and space. From the silence I assume I was the latter.

I know Jace was being his overly-confident self when he strolled inside the house, about half an hour later and I know he went upstairs, most probably to Clary's room. That being said, I brace myself for the havoc and screaming and pacing that always followed those two being under the same roof. But it never comes. Not. A. Word. It is eerily quiet and I start getting worried.

"Jace, are you ok?" I yell over the deafening silence. Don't get me wrong, I love my baby sister, but right now I'm more worried about my best friend.

Then, I hear light steps that could only be my sister's, due to her weighting as much as a ten-years-old, and I get off the couch a bit more curious than I'd like to admit to myself. A moment later she's in the living-room with Jace briskly following.

Clary looks… _unusual_. She _looks_ happy, calm –which is in itself an anomaly for Jace is standing right next to her- but she doesn't _seem_ happy. I've barely ever seen her like this and even those few times when I indeed did see her like this were a couple years back when she came back home from Aunt Charlotte –figures- and police-officers were swarming our house. _Shut off._

Jace looks like he usually looks when he gets lost in his thoughts. Him and Clary are similar like that. Both of them tend to kinda _take refuge_ in their own minds and shut down what's around them, everything that's around her, face included.

"Guys, I'm going to go get some pizza." Says Clary looking at Jace "Do you want some?" he just nods absent mindedly.

This is bad. I call Simon and he rejects at the first ring. I've only ever called Clary's best friend three times. First time was a good few years back, about when Clary came back from our aunt. Luke, mom and Clary were to one of my games and Clary _accidently_ fell off the bleachers and we had to get her to the hospital. Another time was a bit more than few years ago, when she just got her ID. She just up and left, ran away and we needed to call the cops. Found her after almost a week, two cities away working in a Starbucks. Third time I called him was some month back when Clary had a panic attack and was trashing and screaming, but no one knew what to tell her so the doctors had to sedate her. Let's hope this time will be a much less extreme one and maybe even the last time.

All I'm saying is that, if Simon sees _my_ name on _is_ screen, it's really bad news.

Clary was just coming back with a plate filled with slices of pizza, when a breathless and wide-eyes Simon bursts through the front door.

"Where's Clary? What happened? Is she ok?"

Clary, who is not sitting on the couch where I previously laid, threw me a dirty glare and I can swear her eyes were on fire for a second, but then she recomposed herself and plastered that stupid calm smile back in place. I swear she's gonna be the death of me.

Jace comes around and sit down next to my scary sister, hesitancy obvious on his face. But of course, Clary, in spite being Clary, sweetly smiles at him and offers him a slice of pizza. Simon sees the exchange and whitens. Sometimes it's really freaky how we are alike, you know, that was my exact same reaction when I saw them sitting next to each other. It's probably just that we both, better yet _all_ know that Clary won't be able to keep her wits about her and when she's gonna lose it, it will be worse than it ever was before. Or maybe she just changed her mind about Jace and they are now friends and I'm a millionaire and got the Nobel Prize for peace. But that's just wishful thinking.

I usually call Simon when something bad happens because sadly, he knows her best. I guess being associated with the one person she could blame apocalypse on isn't a good trait for perfect brother of the year award, but award or not I'm still her brother. Thank God, Simon sees something in her that I don't and they have one of their freaky telepathic conversations, so her schools his face in his normal anime weirdo one.

"Hey there, Fray. Heard they got a sneak peek from that manga after your favorite series, Throne of Glass or something, at the Luke's bookstore. He told me to keep it a secret but I figured you'd murder me if I knew and didn't tell you. Wanna check it out?"

Clary's face relaxes for a second before she registers what Rat-face said. That's when she bolts out the sofa, pizza, long forgotten ending up in Jace's lap. I know she didn't mean for it t happen but it's secretly glad it did and I also know that whatever conflict is there between the two of them, it pales in comparison to two out of the four of her favorite things in life –Throne of Glass, manga, art and chocolate cake.

She starts fangirling on and on about how she thinks the characters will look like, hoping whatever she's hoping and she drags Simon out the door before I can even register she moved. Before he is forcibly dragged away to unwillingly be witness to my sister's fangirl side, Simon looks between me and Jace with expectant. _You better make it right or she's gonna blow up in all of our faces._ And he's right.

The momet the front door is closed, it's like few pounds of worry have been lifted off my shoulders and the tension I believe even oblivious Clary was aware of -partly because she was the cause of it and partly because it was so think in the air you could cut it with a plastic knife- dissipates. I'm just relieved that I almost forgot why this happened in first place. _Almost._

"Dude, I don't know what you did this time, but we need to talk."

I manage to see a quick flash of hurt and betrayal flicker in his eyes, but it's gone as fast as it came and he just goes for the door, completely and unmistakably ignoring everything I say. I slump against the couch just before I hear the door click for the second in the last five minutes. _Leave it to Clary to make my best friend mad at me for simply saying a fucking sentence._

 _ **A/N: That's it. I think it's so sweet that Jon puts Clary first, even though Jace is his best friends and Clary isn't exactly the perfect little sister. I've been shamelessly dropping hints here and there and I think some or maybe the most of you kinda know or have an idea what Clary's secret is.**_

 _ **Now now, though Cace is my OTP, you're gonna have to wait some time for any significant Clace moments.**_

 _ **What do you think of Clary's reaction to Jace kissing a girl?**_

 _ **Why do you tink Jace destroyied his chance to be friends with Clary?**_

 _ **And now totally besides the point: this my first time writing anything, so if there's any other things and stuff i should do or most writers do besides updating, please tell me.**_

 _ **hoped you enjoyed this chapter.**_


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

CPOV

I can't believe Jon actually called Simon. I mean, I know Jon sees Si as an important part in my life and rightfully so, because he is. Even though my brother cares about my best friend -not that he'd ever admit to it- he has only ever called Simon when I was in deep, deep , _deep_ shit. And the fact that my brother doesn't trust me to hold my own like a mature person stings a little. Just a little. However, now's not the time to think about it. My absolutely favorite series has a manga and I might burst-

"Stop smiling Clary. There's no manga, I just had to get you out of there before your brother had a panic attack." I have to admit he looks a bit scared while saying this. _Good, he should be._ "I was a little bit surprised myself to see you offering something, _food_ no less, to _him_."

"So let me get this straight. You lied to about something I've been waiting for months just to get me out of house and walk aimlessly on the streets?" let's say I forgive him for getting me out of there. It was little tense after all. But lying about something like that-

"Chillax Fray, it's not like that. Izzy said she talked to you today, but forgot to tell you something and when she called again you didn't pick up so she called Maia-"

"Long story short?" I swear to God, when Simon gets talking about Isabelle Lightwood it's like he's talking about some queen, remembering every word she says. Poor kid, he's whipped.

"Long story short, Izzy sent me after you."

"And you being the love-struck puppy you are, of course you came."

"Like you are one to talk. You two don't hear or see anyone when you'r talking to each other."

"'You two'? what the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, please. You and Jace, obviously. Magnus was right, the tension between the two of you is seeable. Just get together already." I huff exasperatedly. That's a load of bullcrap. There's no _tension_ between me and that douche and I do hear and see them; it's just that I'm not an expert at multi-tasking and 'talking' -how my idiot of a best friend nicely put it- takes too much of my focus. Maybe Simon fell and hit his head.

"Don't give me that face. You know I'm right and me and Maia quitted long ago trying to talk to either of you when you even just looking at each other. Magnus and Jon too, but you brother is just too dense to figure out what it means. You just wait 'til Iz figures it out too."

At this point we were just standing and staring at each other in front of the Lightwood manor. Simon willing me with his chocolate brown eyes to understand something and me staring at him with hard emerald green eyes, trying to make him get it that Jace had already broken my trust enough times.

"You don't even stand the Herondale, so what's your deal?"

"It's not about me Clary." He shakes his head and sighs "It's about you." And he leaves with an unreadable expression on his face, abandoning me to stare into nothingness, trying to figure out what he meant and from where the hell did he get those ideas.

Suddenly the doors to the house burst open and I'm met with an expectant yet fabulous as always Isabelle, yelling at me.

"Come on Clary! Hurry up and quit gazing at the air like a mad woman before I kick your perky little ass into the next century!"

"Relax woman, where's the fire." I'm not even going to pretend I'm offended. That's Izzy.

"There's no fire, Biscuit. Just come inside and the two of you can scream inside without the whole neighborhood hearing." Interrupts Magnus form beside Izzy looking no less glittery than he usually does. Yeah, I suppose going inside might me a good idea.

The moment I step over the threshold I'm bombarded with words I don't even bother listening to while Iz drags me up to her bedroom. Again. Not that I think my arrival here will ever change, I just hope that I won't somehow someday stumble on the stairs because of karma.

My sorta new self-proclaimed best friend sits me on her bed and grins at me like she can barely contain herself, Magnus on a chair and Simon from the floor both look at us amused, while Maia lies on the desk with headphones blasting rock in her ears. I on the other hand, I just look and am scared.

"So, Clary" she drawls out "There's this new kid in our school. He didn't make it to the first or second day of school 'cause he wasn't in town yet. He's from California and he's totally smoking hot. Saw pictures of him on the internet. Tall broad and all one could wish for and I heard he's that type on mysterious." I just look at her incredulously. She just made such a big of a fuss over some new hot guy. Yeah sure, leave it to Isabelle. "some friends I have that live near where he moved in say there were lots of art supplies moved in the house. I would have him all to myself, but it got out that he likes red-heads apparently."

At that my head snaps up. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to fall for a stranger just because he has some strange fetish, but this is weird. I know people generalize all the red-heads as 'good in the sack' and the likes, but not all are like that. Me being proof. "He also got his friend with him. Hispanic if I'm remember right. Raphael or something."

"And although he barely set foot in the city, I suppose you already have his name?" I ask half amused, half impressed and somewhat scared.

"Yes, but of course my dear friend." She grins at me mischievously, like she's about to tell me some state secret and thunder will magically be heard from the outside, like in all the classic lame-ish horror movies. "Our newcomer's name is Sebastian." I can swear she expected the world to shake a bit or something. Crazy girl.

I just stand here, staring at her like an idiot, but I can't get over the fact that I've heard this name before. I don't have the slightest idea as to where, but it seems familiar, though not exactly good.

"I think I know him…" I say as I look around the bedroom at the rest of my friends. Surely, I'm not the only paranoid one here.

Magnus looks like he's trying to remember the name himself, but then he just shakes his head. "I'm sorry Biscuit, but I doubt it. Sebastian Verlac, if _my_ sources are correct, is from France and he recently just moved out from California, where he lived for a few years."

I would have told them they should apply for the FBI with this gossip network of theirs, if I wasn't so startled. Or course, there must be more than one Sebastian in the whole California. I'm fairly sure we're not thinking of the same one, for my mom made sure they would never again find me. But that's just the logical explanation, and right now I'm not feeling quite logical.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." That's all I say before I dart for Izzy's en-suite and start puking my guts out. After a few minutes of retching and probably transforming Isabelle's bathroom in a 'danger, proceed with caution' area, I feel a presence behind me, said presence apparently holding my hair, which by the way I'm glad I didn't dirty. Only Angel knows how hard would be to get that out of my messy curls.

"Thanks, Si. Can you please go tell Isabelle that I am not, by any means, going to let her play dress up-"

" _Awww. But why? You would be quite the sight when she's finished with you."_

I started to turn my head around as slowly as I could as not to startle him, but I started vomiting again. I don't even know if I have anything to vomit still. I certainly don't remember eating this much food. I've heard of people digesting their own organs, because their organism wanted to puke but they had nothing left to puke, so organs seems like the best next option, right? Maybe I'm having an internal hemorrhage and slowly-

"What happened, Red?" hissed a voice in my ear. but of course, why would I reply. He has the rude habit of interrupting me when I'm both thinking a talking.

"Come on Ginger." He continued in a gentler voice "You might think I hate you, but you got me worried. All of us…" why would he care, anyway. He's been nothing but a pig to me and I _do_ hate him for that incident at Taki's.

"Is this about Taki's?" ok this is just creepy with all the thoughts interrupting and mind reading. _Would he read my mind?_ He would know everything I think about. Including him. He would know how much he annoys and gets to me. _Who cares? He already knows. Him and the rest of the school._ That is, if he indeed can read minds. Either ways, I just clench my jaw shut.

"I was just playing around." His voice is now whispering in my year. "I though you knew, Clary…" _Clary_. He called me _Clary_. not Ginger or Red or any other annoying nickname. _Clary._

He is so close, my long forgotten hair is now tumbling down one of his shoulders rather than mine. His hands are now somewhat around me, with his palms against the floor tiles on either side of my legs. I am down on my knees, -kinda itching forward should I puke again, though I doubt it- so is he and can still whisper in my ear without much difficulty. _damn his stupid, perfect height._

"I'm sorry…" he said so low even she barely caught it herself. He hung his head in the crook of her neck not, not touching it, but close enough to feel his breath on her neck making shivers run through her. He seemed to feel it too, because he huffed like he wanted to laugh, but couldn't bring himself to.

He did hold her hair and he seemed honest and eve the apology itself seemed like a miracle come from those full lips of Jace's.

I just slump back, forgetting that Jace Herondale actually tried to comfort me. He might be a douche and an annoying one as it is, but if I tried I think I could get used to it. Of course, if he would too be willing to lower down the levels of jerk-ness. Which is obviously impossible so there goes my attempt at peace. Again.

"Sebastian." I say somewhere between a whimper and a whisper, tucking my head in my chest and letting my hair fall on my face to make as little seeable as possible.

"Sebastian? The Verlac new guy?" he said, sounding quite surprised and a little bit curios, but there was as well a tiny sense of annoyance. From where that comes from, I'd rather not think.

"Uh-uhm." I tuck my legs to my chest and hug them there. Then I release a sigh after nodding and that's when I realize that my breath smells of everything I've eaten in the last 12 hours. Which is basically just pizza and some alcohol. Suddenly I feel self-cautions and I hate it, because why should I care after all?

"Did he do something to you, Clary?" he just presses the stupid subject. It might not even be the Sebastian I'm thinking about, so I just hid my head further into my chest. "Red, listen to me. You gotta tell me if he did something. Anything, just one word and-"

"Shut the fuck up Jace!" I scream and throw myself head first into his torso, not even bothering to try hug him and I start crying. After a few moments he just gently puts his arms around me and holds me there, telling me not to be upset and that is gonna be fine. But what is it's not going to be fine? _What if this is the Sebastian from a few years back? What if the they found me? What if they're looking for me?_

"I'm not going to let him touch you, Clary."

Maybe is the way he said it like a promise, like a threat or the way he was there for me, _again_ , or I don't know, but as much as I can't stand _the_ Jace Herondale, right here, being cradled in his strong big arms, I felt _safe_.


End file.
